Private schools urged to defer tuition hike amid pandemic

In a statement posted on their Facebook page, the department said it recognizes the need of private education institutions for sustainability in order to continue with the delivery of quality basic education. (File Photo By Patrick Roque/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday urged private schools to postpone their tuition increase for the incoming school year in consideration of parents and students facing financial challenges due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a statement posted on their Facebook page, the department said it recognizes the need of private education institutions for sustainability in order to continue with the delivery of quality basic education.

“However, this objective must be balanced with the accessibility of these services to learners, particularly those whose families are experiencing financial difficulties brought by the imposition of necessary Covid-19 management measures,” the statement read.

Deferment of increases in tuition and school fees is “practicable”, it added.

Over concerns raised that some schools impose charges that are not consistent with distance learning, the department said private schools should be transparent with their structure of tuition and miscellaneous charges for the school year.

The Education Act of 1982 Section 42 mandates the determination of private schools’ rate of tuition and other school fees or charges subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the DepEd.

The DepEd, through its Department Order (DO) No.88 Series 2010 or the Revised Manual of Regulations for Private Schools in Basic Education, provided private schools guidelines on tuition and miscellaneous charges for their “application for increase, required consultation, and proper allocation of tuition fees”.

It said it “shall endeavor to make any application of private schools of tuition increases and reasonable”.

“We also note the concerns of private schools over DO 13, series 2020 on the Readiness Assessment Checklist for Learning Delivery Modalities in the Learning Continuity Plan of Private Schools,” it added.

The department will hold a consultation meeting with major private school associations — the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations; Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines; Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities; Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities; and Federation of Associations of Private School Administrators.