By SAMMY JULIAN
Manila News Bureau Chief
MANILA – Commission on Higher Education (CHED) must strictly enforce its rules and regulations on tuition fee increases to protect parents and students from any excessive adjustments.
“The strict order to CHED is to ensure that universities applying for tuition fee increases will comply with the requirements set out by law,” Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte said.
Valte said education authorities must make sure that proper “student consultations” are conducted on the tuition fee hike.
At least 353 colleges and universities in Metro Manila and other regions have reportedly sought an increase in tuition and other fees for school year 2014 – 2015.
Of these schools, 333 plan to increase their fees in all levels while 20 seek higher rates only for freshmen and new students.
Education authorities are expected to announce the approved fee increases by the end of the month.
None of the colleges in Eastern Visayas, which was battered by super typhoon “Yolanda,” meantime asked for higher tuition fees.
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.
The Supreme Court dismissed in June last year a petition seeking to stop 354 HEIs from hiking their tuition and other fees./PN
