13 city schools raise tuition
With the ceiling on tuition increase lifted, at least 29 private schools in Western Visayas will increase their tuition when the school year opens next week.
The school will implement an average increase of 8.46 percent ranging from a low of 5 percent to a high of 15.05 percent, according to the data from the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) regional office.
The most number of schools that will increase their tuition is in Iloilo with 13. The schools include the Central Philippine University (6.25-11.78 percent), Colegio de San Jose (5 percent), Colegio del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus (6 percent), Iloilo Doctor's College (5 percent), Interface Computer College (10 percent), John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation-Arevalo (10 percent), John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation-Molo (15 percent), St. Paul University of Iloilo (6-11.3 percent), St. Therese-MTC Colleges-La Fiesta (10 percent), St. Therese-MTC Colleges-Tigbauan (10 percent), St. Therese-MTC Colleges-Magdalo (10 percent), St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary (6 percent) and University of San Agustin (12 percent).
Ten schools in Negros Occidental will increase their tuition which include: Binalbagan Catholic College (6.2 percent), Central Negros College (7 percent), Colegio de San Agustin (7 percent), Fellowship Baptist College (6.2-15.05 percent), John B. Lacson College Foundation-Bacolod (10 percent), La Consolacion College-Bacolod (7.6 percent), La Consolacion College-La Carlota (10 percent), Riverside College (6.2 percent), University of St. La Salle (6 percent) and VMA Global College (10 percent).
In Capiz, three schools will raise their tuition by 5 percent including the College of St. John, Filamer Christian College and St. Anthony College of Roxas City.
Two schools in Aklan will also increase their tuition. These are the Garcia College of Technology (15 percent) and STI College-Kalibo (6 percent)
In Antique, the Pandan Bay Institute will increase its tuition by 13.6 percent.
Aside from increasing their tuition, 26 of the 29 schools will also raise other school fees. Four other schools (West Negros College in Bacolod City, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, University of Iloilo and Fellowship Baptist College in Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental) will only implement an increase in other school fees.
Dr. Alan Lena, in-charge of tuition fee and other fees of the CHEd regional office, said they are implementing the memorandum issued by CHEd chairman Dr. Carlito Puno on Feb. 20 which suspended the CHEd guideline that pegs the maximum limit of increase in tuition fee to the national inflation rate.
Puno earlier announced that the CHEd has lifted the ceiling on tuition increases allowing around 1,200 private schools and 112 state universities and colleges in the country to set their rates for the coming school year.
The one-year suspension of the tuition increase ceiling was implemented because the educational institutions were losing its global competitiveness, Puno had said.
The CHEd will conduct a study on the appropriate tuition scheme during this school year and plans to adopt a formula which would use absolute figures in determining tuition increase instead of percentage.
Puno earlier said they do not expect the rate of tuition to shoot up despite the lifting of the tuition increase limit.
But youth groups said the actual implementation of the increase of at least 29 schools belies the CHEd claims.
"No assurance of the CHEd and the government could stop these schools from increasing their fees just to ensure their profits at the expense of the students and their parents. The government should instead impose more control and increase the budget allotted for education instead of lifting the tuition ceiling," said Rizza Joy Mapa, coordinator in Iloilo of the National Union of Students of the Philippines.