BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
ILOILO – Twenty-five public and private colleges and universities in Western Visayas have expressed intention to increase their tuition and miscellaneous fees for school year 2014-2015.
But the number can still increase. According to Dr. Rex Casiple of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Region 6, their list is still tentative.
The final list of schools seeking fee increases will be released on May 15, said Casiple, CHED-6’s chief education program specialist.
He declined to identify the schools in the tentative list.
CHED-6 is currently reviewing all the documents that these schools submitted.
Casiple clarified that not all the schools seek tuition fee increases; some only want to raise miscellaneous fees.
Last year, 28 schools sought tuition and miscellaneous fee increases (eight percent).
For this year, the increases being sought must not be higher than the inflation rate, stressed Casiple.
CHED-6 has appealed to schools, most especially those in areas hit by super typhoon “Yolanda” last year, not to seek increases in their tuition and miscellaneous fees.
In a statement, the CHED central office assured the public it will “ensure that HEIs (higher educational institutions) meet the guidelines provided by law, especially the requirement of consultation, the allocation of tuition and the strict adherence with the processes that seek to make tuition increases transparent, reasonable and affordable.”
Section 42 of Batas Pambansa 232 or the Education Act of 1982 stipulates that “each private school shall determine its rate of tuition and other school fees or charges subject to rules and regulations promulgated by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports.”
Last year, CHED allowed 354 out of 1,683 private HEIs to raise their tuition and other school fees.
The average tuition increase per unit for school year 2013-2014 was P37.45 or 8.5 percent nationwide./PN
