Public schools are banned from soliciting funds for school supplies and appliances from students, the Department of Education said Friday.

The agency issued the reminder after senators in a budget hearing on Thursday flagged complaints on contributions allegedly collected through PTAs or parents and teachers associations.

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"Mayroon tayong tinatawag na no collection policy, so hindi po talaga puwedeng mangolekta ang ating mga paaralan," DepEd spokesman Michael Wesley Poa told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

"Kung ginagamit po ang mga PTA para po ma-circumvent yung ating no collection policy, kami naman po ay bukas at tumatanggap ng complaints... Ang point ng no collection policy ay hindi dapat nakakaapekto sa grades o kung ano mang performance ng bata 'pag hindi siya nakapagbigay," he added.

The DepEd will release a department order to reiterate the policy, Poa said.

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