ILOILO City – Private schools in Western Visayas are yet to seek an increase in their respective tuition fees for school year 2021-2022, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).
“As of (Aug. 3), wala kita request (nga nabaton),” said Dr. Lea Belleza, information officer of DepEd Region 6.
The new school year opens on Sept. 13.
“Since most of the private schools employ remote learning, operational expenses for electricty, water, telecommunications and other miscellaneous matters are less. It stands to reason that they’re not asking for tuition fee increase,” Belleza told Panay News.
DepEd-6 is projecting to 181,738 total learners in private schools for school year 2021-2022 (kindergarten – 6,797; elementary – 38,451; junior high school – 78,122; and senior high school – 58,368).
In the previous school year, the actual learners in private schools were at 194,700. Of the figure, 11,174 were in kindergarten; elementary – 44,431; junior high school – 78,761; and senior high school – 60,425.
The Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan for school year 2021-2022 is currently being prepared by the School Division Offices (SDOs) and the regional office, said Belleza.
“Some SDOs down to the school levels have already presented their plans to stakeholders,” she added.
Recently, DepEd-6 director Dr. Ramir Barberan Uytico said there won’t be face-to-face classes still due to the coronavirus disease pandemic.
It is also up to the school heads what mode of learning is applicable in their areas, Uytico said.
On July 16, DepEd announced that President Rodrigo Duterte approved Sept. 13 as the opening date of school year 2021-2022./PN
