30 private colleges in WV to hike tuition
Parents and students will carry another heavy burden on their pocket as 30 colleges and universities in Western Visayas have applied for a tuition fee increase in this coming school year. Five of the applicant schools come from Iloilo City.
Records from the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) identified the five schools from Iloilo City as Central Philippine University, Iloilo Doctors College, Saint Paul Iloilo University, John B. Lacson Maritime University and Western Institute of Technology.
However, the entries made in the log-book does not contain the percentage of increase that will be imposed from the current tuition fees. It was learned that private schools can impose as high as 50 percent increase provided it is approved by the student organizations and alumni associations.
Prior to their request for tuition fee increase, these universities are mandated to have a consultation with all the stakeholders especially the student organizations of each university and alumni association. The consultation is a basic requirement for each colleges and universities before their requests are forwarded to the CHEd national office.
The colleges and universities can go on with their tuition fee increase after the CHEd memorandum circular 14 which deals on the guidelines and procedures to be observed by the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) intending to increase tuition, other school fees and introduce new fees.
CHEd regional office or the national office do not have control over the rate of increase proposed by each school administration but the applicants should base their increase on the "allowable increase in the tuition and other fees in all levels should not be more than the prevailing national inflation rate contained in CHEd memorandum circular."