SOME 268 private universities and colleges are expected to increase their tuition and other school fees for the incoming school year after the Commission on Higher Education approved their applications on Monday.
The increase in tuition and other school fees was announced by Dr. Patricia Licuanan, ChEd chairperson, for the academic year 2017-2018.
The average nationwide increase in tuition will be 6.96 percent or equivalent to P86.68 per unit, while increase in other school fees will be at 6.9 percent, or P243 per unit, with increases varying depending on the higher education institution and the region, the CHED said in a statement.
The approved applications represent 16 percent of the total number of 1,652 private HEIs in the country. Of the 268 private HEIs, some 231 will increase both tuition and other school fees. Thirty-one more HEIs were approved for an increase only in their tuition fees while six others would increase only their other school fees.
In a statement, Licuanan said the approved applications is 36 HEIs lower than the 304 institutions which were permitted to raise fees last academic year.
“Considering the total population of private HEIs, the average increase in tuition or other school fees is about 1 percent.”
The highest tuition hikes per unit were at an average of P1,023.03 or 6.47 percent in Western Visayas, P119.55 or 4.75 percent in NCR, P49.07 or 3.05 percent in Calabarzon and P49.50 or 8.64 percent in Central Luzon.
The regions which tallied the highest increases in other school fees were Central Visayas (P1,299.42 or 17.59 percent), Central Luzon (P974.26 or 10.78 percent), Caraga (P626.13 or 15.84 percent), Cagayan Valley (P505.17 or 13 percent), Calabarzon (P408.70 or 5.90 percent) and NCR (P49.82 or 5.28 percent). In deciding on the reasonableness of tuition and other school fees, the law requires HEIs to allocate 70 percent of tuition increases to the salaries and other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel; 20percent to the improvement of school facilities; and 10 percent to the return on investment if they are stock corporations.
ChED approved the fees based on the “education deflator,” which measures the average cost of providing education services based on the regional inflation rate; financial standing of the institution; financial capacity of the students; impact of calamities; and school’s track record.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) has already reactivated its Oplan Balik Eskwela Information and Action Centers (OBEIAC) nationwide Monday to address common problems encountered prior, during, and after the first week of school opening.
In approving the applications for the increase in tuiton and other school fees, the ChED invoked Section 42 of Batas Pambansa 232 or the “Education Act of 1982” which provides 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” (now DepEd, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and ChEd)” in the grant of the tuition and other school fees’ increase.
Other law used as basis for the tuition increase were Republic Act 6728or the “Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in PrivateEducation Act” and ChEd Memorandum Order No. 3 of 2012 or the“Enhanced Policies, Guidelines and Procedures Governing Increases inTuition and Other School Fees, Introduction of New Fees, and for OtherPurposes.”
“ChEd’s approach to the issue of tuition is holistic,” Licuanan said.
She, however, promised to ensure that colleges and universities would meetthe guidelines provided by law.
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