(Legal article – Philippine context)
1) Why this issue matters
Public basic education in the Philippines is designed to be free and accessible. Yet many parents encounter “surprise” or vaguely explained collections—sometimes framed as “required,” sometimes implied as a condition for enrollment, release of report cards, graduation, or participation in activities. When fees are undisclosed, unclear, coerced, or treated as mandatory, parents are not powerless: Philippine law and long-standing education policy lean heavily toward no compulsory collections in public schools, transparency, and non-discrimination against learners who do not pay.
This article focuses on public elementary and secondary schools (including public junior/senior high schools). Different rules can apply to private schools and to higher education.
2) Core legal foundations in Philippine law
A. Constitutional right to free public basic education
The Constitution provides the strongest anchor: the State must protect and promote the right to education and maintain a system of free public education at the basic level. In practice, this supports the principle that enrollment and access to basic learning in public schools cannot be conditioned on payment of fees.
What this means for parents:
- A public school cannot lawfully treat ordinary “school fees” as a prerequisite to admission, attendance, grades, participation in classes, or receipt of school credentials (e.g., report card), unless there is a clear legal/policy basis—and even then, public policy generally requires that core education remains accessible.
B. Statutory framework: governance and accountability
Philippine basic education is governed through laws that establish:
- DepEd’s authority to set national policy for public basic education;
- school-based management and the role of principals and division offices;
- accountability mechanisms for public officers and use of public funds.
Even without naming every statute, the practical consequence is consistent: public schools and their officials must follow DepEd policy on collections, financial transparency, and proper handling of any funds. If someone is collecting in a way that violates policy, they risk administrative liability and, depending on circumstances, other legal exposure.
C. Administrative law principles: due process, transparency, and non-coercion
As government institutions, public schools are bound by basic administrative norms:
- Rules must be clear and properly authorized;
- Parents must not be misled;
- No penalties without lawful basis;
- Public money and any school-related funds must be properly accounted for.
Undisclosed, shifting, or pressure-based collections clash with these norms.
3) The “no collection” principle in public schools (what it generally means)
DepEd has long maintained policies discouraging or prohibiting compulsory collections in public elementary and secondary schools, especially at the start of the school year. While details can vary depending on current DepEd issuances, the stable themes are:
General rule
No student should be required to pay school fees as a condition for enrollment or continued access to basic education in a public school.
Common prohibited practices
Parents may challenge any collection that is:
- Presented as mandatory for enrollment, clearance, grades, report cards, certificates, or graduation rites;
- Collected without written authority, prior disclosure, or official documentation;
- Imposed with “shame,” lists of payers/non-payers, or threats (e.g., “hindi makaka-join,” “hindi makakaakyat,” “hindi bibigyan ng card”);
- Collected without receipts or without clear accounting of where funds go;
- Handled in a way that mixes personal funds, PTA funds, and government/school funds without proper controls.
What schools may do (carefully)
Public schools may sometimes solicit voluntary contributions or support (e.g., donations for school improvement), but the safeguards matter:
- It must be clearly voluntary (no pressure, no consequences for non-payment).
- It must be transparent (written purpose, amount suggested if any, and where it will go).
- It must have proper accounting and comply with rules on handling/recording funds.
4) Understanding “undisclosed fees” (and why they’re legally vulnerable)
A fee is “undisclosed” when parents are asked to pay without meaningful notice or clarity. Legally and administratively, that is vulnerable because it undermines informed consent and accountability.
Red flags that strengthen a parent’s complaint
- No written advisory or circular; only verbal collection instructions.
- No breakdown of amounts or purpose.
- No reference to DepEd authorization or school governing approval process.
- Different parents being told different amounts.
- “Deadline” pressure tied to a student’s access or grades.
- Collection done through students with handwritten lists, no official receipt.
- Funds collected by individuals without clear authority or custody rules.
Why “undisclosed” matters even when the amount is small
Even small collections can be problematic if they:
- become de facto compulsory,
- create exclusion or discrimination among learners, or
- bypass required financial controls.
5) Parent rights: what you can demand and enforce
Right 1: The right to free access to public basic education
Your child’s enrollment and participation in regular school activities should not depend on paying surprise “fees.”
Right 2: The right to clear written disclosure
You may demand:
- a written list of any collections being requested,
- the legal/policy basis (DepEd/school authority),
- the purpose, and
- who is holding/receiving the funds.
If the school cannot provide this, you have strong grounds to refuse payment and to elevate the issue.
Right 3: The right to receipts and accounting
If money is collected in connection with school activities, parents can ask:
- official receipts (or properly issued acknowledgement/receipt consistent with rules), and
- a transparent accounting/report of collections and disbursements.
Right 4: The right against retaliation or discrimination
You can assert that your child must not be:
- barred from class,
- denied grades/report cards,
- excluded from school-provided learning opportunities,
- publicly shamed, or
- otherwise penalized for non-payment of questionable collections.
Right 5: The right to complain to higher authority
Public schools operate within a chain of supervision. When internal resolution fails, parents can elevate complaints to the appropriate DepEd level and, in serious cases, to public accountability bodies.
6) Common scenarios and how the law/policy usually treats them
A. “Enrollment fee,” “registration fee,” “miscellaneous fee” in a public school
This is generally inconsistent with the concept of free basic public education when treated as mandatory.
What you can do: ask for the written authority and confirm it is not compulsory; if they insist, document and escalate.
B. “PTA contribution” or “PTA fee”
PTA support is often framed as necessary, but it cannot be forced as a condition for the learner’s rights in school. PTA collections must be handled transparently and should not be coercive.
Key point: PTA funds are not a substitute for government funds, and schoolchildren must not be treated as leverage for collection.
C. “Payment required for report card/release of grades”
Withholding report cards/grades to force payment is one of the most complaint-worthy practices. It turns collection into coercion and directly harms the learner.
D. Contributions for electric fans, printers, classroom renovation, curtains, bond paper, cleaning supplies
Even when the purpose seems practical, if it’s mandatory or not properly approved and accounted for, parents can object. Public schools have funding streams and procurement rules; “passing the hat” is not a blank check.
A safer approach (for schools) is voluntary donations handled transparently; for parents, the key is whether it’s coerced and undisclosed.
E. Fees for field trips, moving-up/graduation, yearbook, photos, rings, etc.
These are typically non-essential extras. Schools must avoid coercion. If participation is effectively required for academic completion or clearance, that becomes problematic.
Parent-friendly framing: “We’re not preventing the activity, but it must not be mandatory or tied to academic access.”
F. “School ID fee”
IDs may be useful for campus security, but in public schools, any required fee must still be consistent with the free-education principle and DepEd policy. If treated as compulsory and undisclosed, it can be challenged—especially if the learner is penalized for non-payment.
7) Practical steps: how to assert your rights (without escalating unnecessarily)
Step 1: Ask for written details (calm but firm)
Request:
- written list of collections,
- amount and purpose,
- whether voluntary or mandatory,
- receiving officer/entity, and
- receipt/accounting procedure.
Step 2: Put everything in writing (even a simple message)
If the issue continues, send a short written note (email/text/letter) stating:
- you are not refusing to support the school,
- but you cannot pay undisclosed/unauthorized mandatory fees, and
- your child must not be penalized.
Step 3: Document proof
Keep:
- screenshots of messages,
- payment instructions,
- lists of “required fees,”
- names/positions of who demanded payment,
- dates and amounts,
- any threats/penalties communicated.
Step 4: Elevate within DepEd
Typical escalation path:
- Class adviser / teacher (for clarification) →
- School principal →
- Schools Division Office (SDO) (through the Office of the Schools Division Superintendent or designated complaints desk) →
- Regional Office / Central Office (if unresolved).
Step 5: Escalate to accountability bodies when warranted
If there is clear coercion, misuse, or repeated violations, you may consider:
- Civil Service-type administrative complaint routes (for misconduct/abuse of authority),
- Commission on Audit concerns if funds are mishandled, and
- Ombudsman in severe cases involving corrupt practices.
(These are serious steps—use when the facts support them and after preserving evidence.)
8) What schools and teachers are allowed to do vs. not allowed to do (quick guide)
Allowed (generally):
- Inform parents of voluntary support/donations with clear “voluntary” language
- Conduct transparent PTA activities with proper reporting
- Encourage participation without linking it to academic penalties
Not allowed (generally):
- Compel payment for enrollment, attendance, grades, report cards, or core access
- Shame or threaten learners/parents for non-payment
- Collect without disclosure, authority, receipts, and accounting
- Mix privately held funds with school/government funds without controls
9) Sample letter/message a parent can use
(Adjust to your situation; keep a copy.)
Subject: Request for written clarification on collections / assurance of non-penalization
Good day. I am requesting a written clarification on the fees/contributions being collected for [class/grade/section], including the amount, purpose, whether voluntary or mandatory, the authority/policy basis, and the process for issuing receipts and reporting collections/disbursements.
Pending receipt of this clarification, we are unable to pay any amount presented as mandatory without written basis. We respectfully request assurance that our child will not be penalized or excluded from classes/activities, nor be denied release of grades/report card, due to non-payment of any questioned collection.
Thank you and we remain supportive of the school’s programs within proper policy.
10) Frequently asked questions
“If we don’t pay, can the school stop our child from joining activities?”
For core education and school-provided learning opportunities, exclusion as a penalty for non-payment is highly objectionable. For purely optional add-ons (e.g., souvenir items), the school should not coerce payment by tying it to academic treatment or essential participation.
“What if they say ‘voluntary’ but everyone is pressured?”
“Voluntary” becomes meaningless if there are consequences, threats, public shaming, or indirect penalties. Document the pressure and report the practice.
“Is it okay to ask for contributions for classroom improvement?”
It can be acceptable only if truly voluntary and transparent with proper accounting. The issue is coercion, lack of disclosure, and misuse.
“Who is liable if collections are mishandled?”
Public officers and school personnel may face administrative liability for unauthorized collections, coercion, or mishandling of funds. PTA officers can also be accountable under their own governance and general legal principles if funds are misused.
11) Key takeaways
- Public basic education is intended to be free, and undisclosed/mandatory collections in public schools are legally and administratively vulnerable.
- Parents have strong rights to written disclosure, transparency, receipts, accounting, and non-discrimination against learners who do not pay.
- The most effective approach is: ask in writing → document → escalate through DepEd; reserve heavier accountability routes for clear, serious, repeated violations backed by evidence.
If you want, describe the exact fee being collected (amount, purpose, and how it was demanded), and I’ll help you classify it (likely prohibited vs. possibly allowable if voluntary) and draft a tighter complaint narrative tailored to your facts.