‘Tuition hike must follow CHED rules’

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang sees no problem with private colleges and universities increasing their tuition this coming school year as long as they comply with all the requirements set by the Commission on Higher Education.

“CHED’s strict orders, particularly to the universities applying for tuition increases, is that they comply with the requirements that are set out by the law,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said yesterday.

In an interview over state-run dzRB (Radyo ng Bayan), Valte said CHED has issued a memorandum circular that seeks to strictly ensure “student consultations” among colleges and universities that plan to increase their tuition.

Following reports that 353 private universities and colleges plan to increase tuition, the Palace undersecretary said CHED will be carefully studying this.

Valte gave assurance, however, that colleges and universities in the Visayas that were pummeled by Super Typhoon Yolanda in November 2013 will not be covered by tuition increases.

“They are not included. And they (schools) will not be raising their tuition,” she said.

CHED reported that most of the private higher education institutions seeking tuition increase are from Metro Manila with 74 schools, followed by Region 4-A with 46 schools, Region III with 41 schools, Region 11 with 33 schools;

Region 6 with 25 schools, Region 1 with 23 schools, Region 7 with 21 schools, Region 10 with 19 schools, Region 5 with 18 schools, Region 12 with 12 schools, Cordillera Administrative Region with 11 schools;

Region 2 and 4-B with nine schools each, and Region 9 and Caraga with six schools each.

None of the 81 private tertiary schools in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas), the area devastated by Yolanda last year, applied for tuition hike.

The CHED regional offices are expected to submit to the central office their verified and approved lists on or before May 15, the agency said.

“CHED 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,” it said.

Section 42 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 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.

The Supreme Court dismissed in June last year a petition seeking to stop the HEIs from hiking their tuition and other fees.