Private schools coping amid impact of COVID-19 pandemic —COCOPEA

The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) on Tuesday acknowledged that the closure of a 107-year-old college in Manila indicates a challenge, but added that private educational institutions are coping.

“It’s really an indication kung gaano kalalim na ‘yung problema natin economically and as a sector, sa education sector,” COCOPEA managing director Joseph Noel Estrada said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

Estrada issued the statement after the College of the Holy Spirit announced that it will cease operations at the end of the school year 2021-2022 due to difficulties in ramping up enrollment amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Pero palagay ko naman kinakaya pa rin ng education sector so hindi pa naman siya ganon kalala,” he said.

Estrada said their group was still validating the report that over 800 small private schools have suspended operations.

“Kasi kung matatandaan niyo, sa DepEd alone P865 ang nag sara na. In fact, sa Metro Manila alone more than a hundred, parang nasa 121 ang sabi nila noon. Pero ‘yun nga bina-validate din namin,” he said.

“I don’t think that is accurate. Baka, kasi may mga miyembro kami at may mga private schools na nagsasabi na they are considering it, no. Syempre nakadepende ‘yon sa maraming factors and they are trying to survive,” he added.

Should more private schools close, Estrada said it will put further strain on government resources as students migrate to public schools.

“[I]t will further strain government resources yung kanilang absorptive capacity. Kung matatandaan natin sa basic education alone, mga nasa P400,000 daw yung lumipat ng private to public ngayon,” he said.  The figures does not include college students, according to Estrada.

“Isa pa, ayon sa batas, dapat merong complementary. Dapat yung public and private sector complement each other… hindi puwedeng hayaan na mawala ‘yung pribadong sektor,” Estrada said.

“So kaya nga kami sa COCOPEA ay patuloy naming pinapanukala at pinupush namin na magkaroon sana ng more models for complementarity. Kasi maraming resources ngayon sa private, including human resources na underutilized or unutilized,” he added.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News