313 colleges to increase tuition fee this school year

MANILA – The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) allowed 313 colleges and universities to increase tuition and other miscellaneous fees for Academic Year: 2015-2016. The 313 approved schools were from 405 schools’ application for tuition fee increase.

CHEd approved a P29.86 increase per unit on tuition fee and P135.60 increase in other school fees. The names of the schools, however, were not disclosed.

In the National Capital Region (NCR), the CHEd approved an average of P32.43 increase per unit in tuition and P34.79 in miscellaneous fees.

In Central Luzon, the approved average increase was a higher P35.60 per unit in tuition and P556.13 in other fees.

And in Calabarzon, an average of P37.36 increase per unit in tuition and P501.67 in other fees were approved.

No approval was given to 81 colleges and universities who applied for increase in Eastern Visayas as the region is still recovering from the devastation of Supertyphoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Various factors such as the effects of the inflation rate, the financing of the school, and the monetary capacity of the students were considered upon approval of tuition and other fees increase.

With the increase granted, schools have to abide by CHEd’s order that 70 percent of the proceeds from the increase should be allotted for faculty development, teaching and non-teaching personnel benefits, and collective bargaining agreement. The other 20 percent, on the other hand, must be allotted to improving building facilities. Lastly, only the remaining 10 percent from the proceeds should be set aside as profit.

“The CHEd’s approach to the issue of tuition is holistic,” CHEd Chair Patricia Licuanan said in a statement.

“In the light of contending concerns and interests in society, there is need to balance access issues with sustainability of educational institutions. For its part, the CHEd ensures that HEIs meet the guidelines provided by law, especially the requirement of consultation, the allocation of tuition, and strict adherence with the processes that seek to make tuition and other school fee increases transparent, reasonable and affordable,” she added.

Meanwhile, the CHEd had already allocated over P1.5 billion for 123,882 college students and P2.5 billion for 40,000 high school students under financial assistance.