Ang Hirap Magpaaral
Florena M. Bais (30 yrs old) with son Enricky M. Bais (8), Brookside Brgy. Bagong Silangan.
"My child is a late enrollee because we just came out of the hospital where he was confined for urinary tract infection (UTI), probably from eating junk food. He will study at Batasan Elementary School but we will enroll only on Monday. There is no payment, and if we’re lucky, there may be free school supplies. I think they’ll ask us to pay something for late enrolment. My savings all went to the hospital, but somehow I’ll find a way to enroll my child.”
Jordan Custodio Mejia, hails from Candon City (14); helps his mother sell school supplies in Brgy. Batasan Talipapa
"Parents should budget for their children’s school expense. They should buy durable but inexpensive things for them. Sales of supplies this year are slow, compared to last year. Some school supplies are given out for free in public schools."”
Pedrito (50) and Zeus Andrei Caldina (4 1/2).
"I am a retired hotel employee; I prepared for my son’s enrolment early on. I enrolled Zeus in a day care center, and spent P15,000 thus far. But my eldest child, who’s 21 and works in a call center, is helping me with the expense. If we didn’t save, I’d probably not be able to enroll Zeus in a semi-private day care center.”
Melda Hernando (housewife, 28) on Kim Nicole Hernando (daughter, 5 ½)
"My husband Carlo is a barber and he doesn’t earn the same amounts each day. But because he is such a hard worker, we did everything to be able to enroll our child Nicole at St. Dominique Academy. We also spent P3,800 for books, P1,400 for uniforms, and P2,500 for school supplies. We could have saved half of what we spent if we enrolled Nicole in a public school, but we allowed her to pick her school, and she chose St. Dominique because it’s very near our house in Brgy. Ilang-Ilang, Batasan Hills."
Monica Rose Cocal (6), shows her new uniform which mother Rosalita (43) bought for her.
Monica Rose: “I will bring money to school to buy soup there, because they don’t allow bringing of food to school.”
Rosalita & Monica Rose Cocal. "Monica Rose and her sibling Justine (Grade 6) don’t pay tuition at Batasan Elementary School. They get free school supplies from Christ the King Church. That’s why I can still manage iven if we still have a child in college (John Emil) and another one in High School (Jojienar). My husband is a merchandiser at Zesto juice company, and earns only the minimum plus allowances. We spent just P500 for the uniforms of Monica and Justine."
Dizon family.
Joahny Dizon:
“I am happy because education is free, so I’m spared from paying tuition and miscellaneous. We have four children, my husband (Albert Roman Dizon) is a trycicle driver, but thanks to government support, and foundations that donate school supplies---like Christ the King church for bags and notebooks, my four children can go to school. Our only problem is the day-to-day baon [food]. Fortunately, my children are not picky about food.”
Rosie Lyn & Railey Jantzen Buala.
"It’s hard to send children to school these days. I have two. When they’re in public schools, it seems they’re miserable because of the poor conditions: rooms are congested, and toilets are dirty. So we tried our best to save and bring them to a semi- private school, where I spent P6,000. I made a downpayment of P1,000. The problem is the daily baon, uniforms and school supplies and books which must all be bought in the school and bear the school logo. So I still must make monthly payments; I must find work and help out my husband.”
Single parent Ma Chorina Abbang (24) with sons, Mark Xander Abbang (Grade1) and Gabriel Xyril Dollente (Nursery)
"It’s hard for me as a single mom, as I’m a fresh graduate, newly-hired and studying nursing at the same time. So I need to divide the time for them and for myself. I must buy school supplies and other needs because I wasn’t able to enroll them in a public school. Conditions in public schools are not so good, though I could get savings. Luckily, my mom is there to help me out with the finances.
Actually, the most crucial difference between public and private is the fact that the teacher can’t give quality time in the public schools since are so many children.”
By a vote of 198-8, House approves on third reading K to 12 bill
Zambo mayor protests K-12 policy on segregation based on spoken language
Trillanes says K+12 a 'no brainer'
Ready or not, K-to-12 curriculum starts
Kapatid Network joins Brigada Eskwela
