Few Davao schools want tuition hike

BELIEVE it or not, there is a sharp reduction in the number of private colleges and universities in the Davao Region seeking tuition and matriculation fee increases for the school year 2013-2014, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) reported.
Raul Alvarez, director of CHED 11, said only 29 out of 80 colleges and universities in the region submitted their corresponding proposals to increase school fees compared to 45 private colleges and universities last year.
Alvarez surmised many schools did not ask for an increase in cognizance of the impact of Typhoon Pablo on tens of thousands of families who lost their farms and other means of livelihood and would therefore have difficulty in raising money for the education of their children.
Alvarez said that as of March 1, only a total of 26 private schools applied for increase in tuition and other fees, 19 of which are in Davao City, two in Davao del Sur, four in Davao del Norte and one in Compostela Valley.
He also said that only one private college in Davao City applied solely for “tuition fee” hike. while two each in Davao City and Davao del Sur applied for increase in “other fees.”
“The rest of the institutions which did not submit any proposal are presumed not to be increasing their fees,” Alvarez said.
He said schools which submitted requests for tuition fee hike have until April 1 to conduct their consultations with students and their parents, adding that the parties must agree on the specific amount of increase.
“The students and school administrations must meet and agree on the specific value of the tuition fee increase. Then, they present the result to the CHED which will either approve or disapprove the proposal,” Alvarez said.
He underscored the importance of consultation between school authorities and students, alumni, faculty and the non-teaching personnel.
Alvarez said it is often private institutions which seek tuition fee increase.
He said it is also important that private schools pay good salaries to their faculty members who have high qualification like master’s and doctorate degrees.
Alvarez said under the law, 70 percent of any tuition fee increase must go to the salaries and benefits of teachers, 20 percent goes to upgrading of school facilities, and only 10 percent goes to the owners as return of investments (ROI). [RGA/JSD/PIA 11]