School Demands Excessive Fees Not Approved by DepEd
A school charges miscellaneous, contribution, or uniform fees that were not approved through the required DepEd regulatory process
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The Situation
What They Said
“You need to pay the contribution fee, the yearbook fee, the school paper fee, and the class fund before your child can get their report card. Total is two thousand pesos.”
Excessive and unapproved school fees in Philippine public and private schools are a persistent complaint raised by parents and student organisations. For public schools, the 1987 Constitution and RA 6728 (Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act) establish that basic public education is free. DepEd regulations require that any miscellaneous or special fees in public schools must comply with approved amounts and procedures. Private schools must comply with DepEd's rules on fee increases (MRSP — Maximum Retention Policy on School Fees). Withholding report cards or academic records as leverage for fee collection is specifically prohibited under DepEd orders.
The Fallacy
All-Fees-Are-Part-of-Education Cost Fallacy
The school presents multiple charges as inherent and inevitable costs of education, without distinguishing between constitutionally mandated free basic education, approved fees, and unapproved collections. Not all fees presented as standard by schools have been through the required approval process. DepEd orders specifically list which fees public schools may charge and how much. Any collection beyond these approved amounts is an illegal exaction. Additionally, withholding report cards to enforce fee collection is separately prohibited.
Free Compulsory Elementary Education — Constitutional Right to Free Basic Education
“Elementary education is free and compulsory. The State shall establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate, and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and society.”
Public elementary and secondary education is free under the Constitution. Any fee beyond those specifically permitted by DepEd regulations is an illegal collection. If you are in a public school, challenge each fee by asking for the specific DepEd order authorising it.
DepEd Orders (various) — Rules on School Fees and Report Card Withholding
DepEd Order No. 88 (2010) and subsequent orders on fees and records — Prohibition on Withholding Report Cards for Non-Payment
“Schools, whether public or private, are prohibited from withholding a student's report card, certificates, and other academic records as a means of enforcing payment of school fees or other financial obligations. Students have the right to their academic records regardless of outstanding balances.”
Withholding your child's report card for non-payment is specifically prohibited by DepEd orders. Demand the report card and file a complaint with the Division Superintendent if it is withheld. Document the specific fees demanded and request the DepEd approval reference for each fee.
What Scripture Says
God's Word on This
Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”
Education is not only a constitutional right — it is one of the most powerful tools God gives parents to train up their children. When schools impose illegal fees that families cannot pay, they create barriers to the education God calls parents to provide. The barangay, DepEd, and the courts exist to remove those barriers. You are not being obstinate by demanding that the law be followed — you are advocating for your child's future.
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You Know the Law — But Do You Know What to Say?
Reading your rights is one thing. Using them under pressure — calmly, correctly, in the right words — is what actually protects you. Members get the scripted rebuttal for this exact situation: what to say first, what to say if they push back, the tone to use, and the constitutional provision to cite. Practise out loud with audio until it's automatic.