CALASIAO – Some parents of pupils at the Buenlag Central School (BCS) are angry with the school principal and they have decided that the fastest way to compel her dismissal is to stop their children from attending classes and lock the gates of the school. And they did.

This prompted the Department of Education (DepEd) Pangasinan 1 Division to appeal to the parents to allow their children to attend classes and refrain from conducting a rally inside the school ground that disrupts the classes of their children while an investigation of their complaint is being looked into.

But the parents won’t budge and said they will not stop until the school principal, Dr. Digna Bauzon, is replaced.

The protests against Bauzon started last January 12, Monday when parents posted placards around the school gate and perimeter fences protesting her alleged “collection” activities.

Division Superintendent, Dr. Alma Ruby Torio, sent Dr. Sheila Primicias to make an assessment after meeting with the teachers.

“Ultimately, it’s the children’s welfare that is affected here,” Torio said. “We will resolve the issue…it will be properly addressed,” she added.

Bauzon is being ousted on the basis of a suspicion that she allegedly collects funds from parents in violation of the DepEd’s “no collection policy.”

“I was surprised since there’s no pending complaint here in the division office,” said Torio, adding “there is no previous complaint against the principal in question except for anonymous letters.”

As of January 14 Wednesday, some parents of the 1, 038 pupils at BCS still refused to send their children to school.

Nerissa Untalan, one of the parent-protesters, complained about the collection of P30 as payment for the school identification (ID) of the pupils.

“They gave our children envelopes and we were forced to put money in it”, said Untalan.

However, Adalia Mamaril, a teacher of BCS who handles the money from contributions clarified that the ID for pupils was not compulsory and was approved by the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) of the school.

Mamaril said the parents who attended the PTA meeting agreed that IDs be issued to pupils who pay P30 for the printing, and, therefore, voluntary.”

For her part, Bauzon said “For two years now since I became the principal here I have not heard any opposition from parents whenever we plan for fundraising projects such as the Mr.& Ms. BCS, Brigada Eskwela and a lot more.”

She surmised that the parents protesting were those who failed to attend the meetings.

Mamaril maintained all monies received and expenses are properly accounted for with receipts in their financial ledger. (Hilda Austria/Johanne Macob/PNA)

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