Authorization for Collection of School Publication Fee on Voluntary Basis
- Collection must be voluntary.
- The fee should not be a prerequisite for admission.
- The fee should not be required for clearance or transfer of students to other schools.
Authorization for Public Elementary School Publication Fee
- Starting school year 1999-2000, public elementary schools may collect a publication fee of forty pesos (P40.00).
- Justified by participation of elementary pupils in the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) since 1995.
Handling and Use of School Publication Fund
- The publication fee collection constitutes a trust fund.
- The fund must be kept separate from other school fees.
- Disbursements shall exclusively cover printing and publication-related expenses of the school paper.
- The fund is subject to established accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
Management of Fund Balance
- Any savings or balance from the publication fund at year-end must be preserved intact.
- Such balance cannot be merged or used as part of the school's general fund.
Implementation and Dissemination
- The order requires wide and immediate dissemination.
- Emphasis on strict compliance to the new provisions to ensure proper fund collection and usage.