THE COORDINATING Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) has urged the government to provide flexibility in learning modalities and tuition adjustments to help schools maintain viability during the energy crisis.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page on March 30, COCOPEA, whose members include UST, said government agencies should be reasonable and empathetic in implementing policies for private schools facing rising energy and operating costs.
“We call for freedom to adopt diverse learning and training modalities. CHEd (Commission on Education), DepEd (Department of Education), and TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) must loosen restrictive regulations on educational and training institutions so we can shift to various learning and training modalities that reduce costs without compromising learning outcomes,” the group said.
“Genuine flexibility, intuition and fee adjustments. Regulatory bodies must provide realistic, timely, and transparent mechanisms for tuition increase applications so that schools can remain financially viable,” it added.
COCOPEA also called on government agencies to immediately dispense subsidies and other forms of support, saying these financial aids are “not a privilege” during economic crises.
“We urge the prompt and full release of all current government subsidies and support for students and teachers, in accordance with existing laws. In a time of economic hardship aggravated by the war in the Middle East and its impact on energy prices, these funds are not a privilege, they are a lifeline,”” the group said.
On March 24, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. declared a national energy emergency, as tensions in the Middle East threaten global oil supply stability. The government warned that potential disruptions to fuel shipments could affect the energy supply of the country, which heavily relies on imported fuel.
A review of policies that may add unnecessary costs to schools must also be considered, according to the group, which has over 2,000 member schools nationwide.
“We further call for reasonableness and empathy in the formulation and implementation of regulatory policies. We hope that various rules that impose unnecessary, duplicative or bureaucratic costs on private higher institutions, schools, and training institutes be reviewed and reformed immediately,” the group said.
“We, the [COCOPEA], call on the government— through the (CHED), (DepEd) and (TESDA)-to act decisively in the face of the state of national energy emergency declared by the President. Private education shares the burden of this crisis with other sectors.”
In a memorandum dated March 25, the DepEd required public schools to implement various energy conservation measures, including regular monitoring of the use of electrical equipment.
The document was in line with the President’s directive for government agencies to strictly adopt energy conservation protocols, such as a compressed 4-day onsite workweek and a limit on government travel.
The group also proposed including education agencies in the Philippines’ broader crisis response planning, particularly the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) Committee, to ensure “education continuity, access and institutional sustainability.”
The UPLIFT Committee is a task force created under Executive Order No. 110 and headed by Marcos to manage the economic impacts of the Middle East conflict. The government has undertaken measures to ease the impact of the war, including distributing transportation and agricultural subsidies and providing train fare and toll fee discounts.
Despite the challenges, COCOPEA reiterated its commitment to continuing to provide quality education.
“Education is a public good and a shared responsibility. In this critical moment, the private education sector reaffirms its commitment to continue to deliver the same quality education to our students as our country navigates this crisis,” it said. F — Ariza Marie Llorca
