No fees will be collected from students who will enroll in public elementary and secondary schools during the opening of the school year, DepEd Negros Occidental Division administrative officer Rossana Anasarias said yesterday.

Anasarias explained that "Free Education" in public elementary and secondary schools is provided in the Constitution and the Department of Education has issued an order against collecting any fee during enrolment.

She added that even miscellaneous fees, including PTCA, Scout membership, and Red Cross fees, should not be made compulsory and will be collected only after an agreement is reached with parents.

Bacolod Schools Supt. Milagros Gonzales affirmed that DepEd has been ordered not to collect fees during enrolment, however, she said it is up to the school principal whether to impose collections on PTCA, Boys and Girls Scout and Journalism fees. Gonzales said the principals are empowered to make their own decision.

Meanwhile, Anasarias said that schools in Negros Occidental are ready for the opening of the school year and classrooms have already been cleaned and repaired.

She said the "Brigada Eskwela" this week was successful and Division Supt. Eva Belicena has been going around the province to inspect the schools.

Belicena was in Candoni yesterday checking the school for the opening of the school year.

As to the ratio of the number of students to the number of classrooms and teachers, Anasarias said they can not give any figure until the enrolment has ended.

She said lack of classrooms and teachers are the usual problems encountered by the DepEd every school year opening.

Although DepEd in Negros noted a decrease in the enrolment last year, Anasarias said they can not make any projection this year until the enrolment is finished.

She added that rate increases in private schools play a big factor in the number of students in the public schools.

Anasarias explained that those who can no longer afford the school fees in private schools transfer their children to public institutions, resulting to bigger class size in the public schools.

She said that since education in elementary and secondary is a basic right of all Filipinos, public schools can not refuse any student who wishes to enroll.*NB

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