Tuition fees hiked anew this school opening
Even as the people wage protests against hikes in oil prices, water and electricity rates, students are opposing increased tuition and other fees imposed by schools this June.
CHEd announced that 357 private colleges and universities nationwide will be raising their fees by an average of 13%. Almost 28% of 1,271 private colleges and universities will have tuition fee hikes of 10-110%. Ninety-six of these schools are in Metro Manila. J.P. Sioson General Hospital and Colleges in Manila has imposed the biggest increase (111%). Meanwhile, colleges and universities in Western Visayas have raised their fees by as much as 85%.
The DepEd itself has announced that 103 out of 981 private preschools in Metro Manila will raise tuition fees by up to 30% this coming school opening.
All DepEd has done is to inquire whether schools would be raising their fees by more than 5% and request for reports. The inquiry is conducted allegedly to determine whether the allocation of tuition fee increases is in accordance with regulations:
- 70% for teachers� salaries
- 20% for improvement of school facilities and services
- 10% for profit
Neither DepEd nor CHEd is in a position to stop tuition fee hikes because of the absence of laws prohibiting such increases. None of the Congressional bills that sought to put a ceiling on tuition fee hikes has prospered. Worse, the proposed Tuition Fee Rationalization Act (TFRA) now pending in Congress would allow tuition hikes of up to 15% without consultations.
Militant youth groups have assailed the bill. On May 20, the National Union of Students of the Philippines issued a statement rejecting the proposed law. The NUSP said that the TFRA would further deprive the Filipino youth of education. In this regard, students and youth led also by Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students and the Student Christian Movement have been waging street actions since May to protest the new round of increases.
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