Treñas reminds school officials of no collection policy
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas issued a reminder to all public school officials to refrain from collecting any amount from all students as this is not allowed during yesterday morning’s media hour at the chief executive’s office.
Treñas said he made this reminder in light of reports he received that a particular official is collecting graduation fees from seniors studying in the school where she is assigned.
The mayor quoted the Department of Education Order No. 8-2005 stating, “Public schools are not allowed to collect any graduation fees or any kind of contribution for graduation rites.”
The order also states that no non-academic project shall be imposed as a requirement for graduation; only parent-teacher associations may solicit voluntary contributions from their members for graduation celebrations and no extraordinary venues for the ceremonies should be required.
Meanwhile, no less than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued a memorandum urging schools to practice simplicity and have no-frill graduation rites.
In her memo, the President urged everyone concerned to have a paradigm shift and to avoid having lavish and excessive graduation ceremonies.
“Graduation rites should not be exercises in splurging and display of pomp and pageantry but should be Spartan affairs that exhort civic duties, sense of community and personal responsibilities,” she further said. (PIO)