The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) is urging the government to help private schools address concerns on the declining number of enrollees and the transfer of teachers to public schools.

CEAP is worried that more private schools will cease to operate if these issues will not be addressed.

The group said an average of 10 private schools are closing every year.

CEAP added that the government is doing something but is not sufficient.

“We have been lobbying government assistance not just to be limited to junior high school in terms of ASC and Senior High School in terms of vouchers but also to cover grade 6 down the line until kinder and the teachers should be subsidize more para ang quality of education is rather enhanced and they recognize our vital contribution in the aspect of education,” CEAP President, Fr. Alberto Delvo, said.

Another CEAP official also said the government should see private schools as partners in delivering quality education.

“Government should see private education really a partner in delivering quality education, we are delivering quality education in that sense I suppose government should support us much way what we are receiving right now,” CEAP Trustee-At-Large, Fr. Mauricio Ulep, said.

“There is a shortage of 150k classrooms per edcom report and we have the capacity to absorb students without the government having to build structures for this. There has been legislation that maybe is not necessary at this time like mandatory ROTC perhaps the resources for these will be channeled to the quality of education,” CEAP Executive Director, Atty. Sabino Padilla, added.

In Davao region, there has been no problem with private schools, according to the Department of Education-Davao (DepEd-11). However, support must also be given to private education as it helps the government in the delivery of quality education in the country.

Around 300,000 students are studying in private schools while more than one million students went to public schools in the region.

“If these 300,000 will be added to the one million plus, dako kaayo na siyang concern sa space, sa rooms, sa teachers, sa resources… you can just imagine how huge the problem we might be facing. Mao unta ni ang ilahang ipatawag in aid of legislation, dili tong mga bisag unsa na lang nga walay resulta,” DepEd-11 Spokesperson, Jenelito Atillo, said.