There are no guarantee parents will be able to reduce their costs without a physical class, the Department of Education (DepEd) clarified Tuesday, citing distance learning could increase private school tuition fee.
In an interview with TeleRadyo, Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said that private schools might spend more money while coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections are increasing in the country.
“We have experienced na hindi dahil distance learning ay mababa ang gastos [would be low cost],” Malaluan said when asked if tuition is low now without face-to-face classes.
“In fact, malaki ang kailangan punan by our experience dahil iko-convert mo iyong learning resources that are intended for classroom-based instruction immediately into distance learning forms,” he added.
President Rodrigo Duterte has previously stated that he will not allow face-to-face classes until the COVID-19 vaccine has been developed, which has already affected 26,781 on Tuesday.
Despite this, Malaluan said tuition should still reflect how schools spend their funds while responding to a pandemic.
Also read: Briones to Duterte: Allow DepEd to continue school opening preparations
Distance learning could increase private school tuition
“Kung halimbawa… [ang] laboratory fees ay icha-charge pa rin at library fees, iyon ang definitely puwede nating tingnan,” the official added.
(For example, laboratory fees and library fees would be charged to students. We need to look into that definitely.)
The Education Secretary had previously said that the schools would use blended learning to deliver education to the children, using radio, television, and the internet.
Last night Duterte said the government was planning to buy radios for students living in remote parts of the country.
“Baka kung magtagal ito talaga, sayang ang panahon. We might buy the radio at 300 maibigay sa lahat ng—sa lahat ng barangay na maabot ng radio para naman ‘yung mga mahirap may communication sila sa teacher nila,” said Duterte.
(Maybe if it really lasts, it’s a waste of time. We might buy the radio, and 300 give it to all — to all the villages that radio can reach so those who are needy could communicate with their teachers.)
“We will come up with something in the next few days. Maybe before the end of the week, I would be able to look for the money. Wala na tayong pera ngayon. I would look for the money to buy transistor radios to be distributed all throughout the country,” he added.