Grim Scenario for Education in Negros

Continuing hikes in tuition and miscellaneous fees, “astronomical” increases in prices of basic commodities and the impending tiempo muerto (refers to the period between harvest seasons when jobs are scarce) in Negros Occidental are driving more and more students here out of the schools and forcing them to take on odd jobs to augment the family income.

BY KARL G. OMBION
Bulatlat

BACOLOD CITY – Continuing hikes in tuition and miscellaneous fees, “astronomical” increases in prices of basic commodities and the impending tiempo muerto (refers to the period between harvest seasons when jobs are scarce) in Negros Occidental are driving more and more students here out of the schools and forcing them to take on odd jobs to augment the family income.  

Steady drop

Data provided by Negros Occidental Schools Superintendent Dr. Eva Belicena revealed that the number of public school students in the province has continued to drop in the last five years, as shown in the data below. (See Table 1) 

Belicena also said that partial reports this school year show further drop in enrollees. Of 39 school districts in the province 28 have registered a drop of enrollees in elementary schools. Enrollees have also dropped in 77 out of 115 high schools in the province.

Most of the schools that experienced substantial drops in enrolment are in rural municipalities, and extension schools.

Belicena attributed the drop in enrollment to economic difficulties, especially among the farmworker and odd-jobber households. She also cited as one factor the DepEd strict enforcement of the rule that once students don’t get passing grades, they cannot move on to higher level, which she added, may have discouraged many students to return school.

Commercialized education

Gilda Quiatchon, a high school teacher at the Negros Occidental High School, a parent of two students and ACT-Negros chairperson told Bulatlat that education has become highly commercialized even in state schools that more and more parents and teacher-parents are finding it harder and harder to cope.

“It is not true that state schools are free, because the fact is, they charge all sorts of fees for miscellaneous and contributions whole year round which if totaled would still be expensive,” she said.

Quiatchon stressed that the huge reduction in the education budget is the main reason for the “dismal” state of public education in the country, and is at the same time a factor that forced most provincial state schools to collect all sorts of fees from the students.

Bulatlat research revealed that DepEd’s budget for this year has dropped to P112.5 billion ($2.06 billion, based on an exchange rate of P54.49 per US dollar), almost P5 billion ($91.76 million) lower than previous year’s figures.

This year, education spending dropped to 14.9 percent of the national budget from 19.3 percent in 1997. On the other hand, government spending on debt payments shot up from 15.9 percent in 1997 to 33.2 percent of the national budget at present.

In addition, the country’s per capita budget for education is only P5,200 ($95.43). On the other hand, per capita budget for education in Australia amounts to P216,407 ($3,971.50); Japan, P210,481 ($3,862.74); Singapore, P85,997 ($1,578.22); Taiwan P56,969 ($1,045.49); and Thailand P46,314 ($849.95).

Also, no less than the Department of Education (DepEd) admitted that this school year, classroom shortage is pegged at 51,000; teachers, 27,000; and desks and chairs, 5 million.

Cabugwason Elementary School

Cabugwason Elementary School, located in a relocation site in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, has been set up and opened only this year through the initiative of the provincial government.

It has three classrooms for grade level one to six, with two teachers, and 370 students, mostly children from the families relocated to the barangay.

Each class has an average of 60 students, beyond the normal size of 30-40. To cope with the number of students and limited classrooms, the two teachers have to handle three classes at the same time in the morning, and three other classes in the afternoon, rendering only half-day classes for each level.  

Most children used to study in Barangay 8 and Barangay 7 in Bacolod City proper, but when the city government demolished most houses in the area, the residents were relocated to Cabugwason.

Several other schools in rural barangays in the province have the same experience as Cabugwason Elementary School.

Private education worse

Quiatchon said that private education is even worse because their capitalist orientation has been the moving force in continuously raising tuition fees, added Quiatchon.

Worse, Quiatchon stressed, the recent Supreme Court ruling in the case of St. Joseph’s College vs. St. Joseph’s College Employees Association will only institutionalize the long and common practice among private schools of not allotting the entire 70 percent of additional earnings from tuition fee increases for teachers’ salaries and benefits.

In its decision on the said case, the Supreme Court declared that school management need not be required allocate the 70 percent in cash for teachers’ salaries, but must give it in other forms like “services” for the teachers and employees.

Tuition hikes in private schools

Data made available by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Region VI office to Bulatlat also revealed that 13 private schools, 32 in Western Visayas have hiked this year their tuition fees by an average of seven to eight percent, with some jacking up tuition fees by as high as 15 to 18 percent.

Fred Maningo, Education Supervisor II of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) VI, said that their office has already been notified of the increase in tuition fees of 32 private colleges and universities in the region, 13 of which are located in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.

The Bacolod-based schools are Colegio de San Agustin-Bacolod with seven percent hike, or an increase of P27.63 per unit, from a base figure of P394.66 to P422.29; John B Lacson Foundation with 18 percent, or increase of P53.00 per unit from P304 to P357; University of St. La Salle with nine percent or increase of P46.00 per unit from P449.87 to P486.85; Riverside Medical College with five percent or an increase of P32.00 from P322.00 to P355.00; Visayas Maritime Academy with 15 percent.

La Consolacion College and University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos have kept their tuition fees but respectively increased miscellaneous fees by an average of seven percent.

Other schools in the province which have increased tuition fees are the Fellowship Baptist College-Kabankalan with 10 percent, Kabankalan Catholic College with 11 percent, La Consolacion College-La Carlota with 15 percent, Binalbagan Catholic College with seven percent, Central Phil Adventist College-Murcia with 15 percent, and Colegio Sta Rita-San Carlos with five percent.

Maningo said that most schools have hiked their tuition fees by not more than seven percent, because the CHEd rulingon tuition fee increases states that if increase is below the national inflation rate, which is currently set at 7.6 percent by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), school management need not call for consultation with students. If above, they have to conduct consultation first, and must submit an agreement of increase duly signed by representative of the student government and the President of the school. 

Maningo also reminded private school teachers to demand the release of 70 percent from the total proceeds of the tuition fees and to make sure that the 30 percent goes to the development of school facilities. He urged them to file appropriate complaints with CHEd if they haven’t received them.

He also however cited the Supreme Court decision in the case of St. Joseph’s College v. St. Joseph’s College Employees Association.

Maningo reiterated that state colleges and universities are not allowed to increase their tuition fees and other miscellaneous fees. If there were increase made, parents and students are urged to file complaints for proper action.

He also urged the parents to first check if the courses their children are taking or would be taking have permits and accreditation with CHEd to avoid unnecessary hassles. “Non-four-year employment courses are the domain of TESDA and need not be accredited with CHEd,” he added.

MQE launched

In response to the web of problems facing public and private school students, a group of teachers, parents and students launched last weekend the Movement for Quality Education (MQE).

Quiatchon, a convenor of MQE, said that they formed the movement to generate a stronger pressure on government and DepEd to effect some immediate reforms in the education system. Among these, the scrapping of tuition fee increase, the non-implementation of hikes in miscellaneous fees, provision of educational subsidies such as school supplies for students.

MQE, Quiatchon said, also calls for the scrapping of Education Act of 1982 which deregulates tuition fee increases, and promotion of more patriotic subjects in the primary, secondary and tertiary curriculum.

Beverly Galang, a Parents-Teachers Associations (PTA) officer in a state elementary school in this city and also a convenor of the MQE, said that what is even more problematic is not only the commercialization of education system, but its quality and thrust.

“Our students today don’t get much in terms of good values, sense of responsibility and even respect for the elders. Much of what they get is mainly about how to find jobs and earn dollars,” Galang added.

Clarissa Singson, spokesperson of Gabriela Youth and member of MQE affirmed Galang and Quiatchon saying “the government’s adherence to ‘globalization’ have turned our education system and education courses into mere recruitment ground for docile citizens and cheap labor for multinational corporations.”

She said that a number of courses in the social sciences, philosophy and political thoughts have already been scrapped and replaced by “technical subjects which are part of the new curriculum design aimed to respond effectively to market demands.”

Among the immediate reforms demanded by MQE is a halt to tuition fee increases, the scrapping of all sorts of miscellaneous fees both in private and public, more participation of parents, students and teachers in school boards and other decision-making bodies.

Singson also said that they are demanding the scraping of Article 13 of the Education Act of 1982, which allows the deregulation of tuition fee increases and the redirection of Philippine education’s thrust.

She clarified however that while the aim for the fulfillment of these demands is an uphill battle, the immediate removal of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo could set the necessary favorable conditions for improvement in the education system and policies.

“Gov’t, not youth, is chief recruiter of rebels”

In a related development, Julius Dagatan, spokesperson of Youth Demanding Arroyo’s Removal (Youth Dare) slammed the military for allegations that Youth Dare and LFS are undertaking massive recruitment for the armed rebel movement. “It’s not us, but the government that serves as the chief recruiter of rebels,” he said.

In a press conference yesterday of the Movement for Quality Education (MQE), of which Youth Dare is one of the convenors, laughed the charge saying “it is nothing but a cover up for the fact that the government’s anti-democratic and anti-people policies are programs are the ones forcing the youth and the impoverished to the underground and the mountains.”

Dagatan cited specifically the state neglect of the right of the youth to free and quality education which has forced millions to quit schooling and go into early hard labor to help their parents survive their daily ordeal.

Others who have suffered much, especially the poor farmers and workers, and seem to find no hope in the ruling system, cannot be blamed for taking extra legal or (il)legalized options such as joining the armed resistance,” he said.

“The unabated extra judicial killings of activists and continued persecution of Left party-list leaders are just part of the government’s policy of eliminating all legitimate voices of opposition against its rule. So, who is recruiting for the rebels if not the government?” Dagatan added.

He said that for every “fascist whip” that the government unleashes against the people, “tens and hundreds and thousands” would sympathize with the cause of the rebel movement.

Dagatan stressed however that for so long as conditions allow, they will not go underground or join the rebels in the mountains as they have “much to do” in educating and organizing the youth and the students in fighting for their democratic rights and welfare. Bulatlat