THE COORDINATING Council of Private Education Associations of the Philippines said that parents should consider private education as an “investment” for their children’s future.

“This is an investment for the future… I think we need to teach parents and students to be more accountable for the education of their children so we don’t just ask for the government to help us and be responsible,” COCOPEA Executive Director Joseph Noel Estrada said.

“The Constitution recognizes the complementary role of the public and the private sectors in education…. [and] we cannot do away [with] one from the other, and that concept of complementarity is significant because of the pandemic and the private schools closing down,” Estrada said.

He shared that based on their records, 400 private schools did not have enrollees due to the pandemic and more students from private schools are transferring to public schools.

Meanwhile, Estrada urged Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio to address the learning losses brought by the two-year school closure.

He added that DepEd must also focus on supporting teachers and out-of-school children.