MANILA, Philippines—At least 100 private elementary and secondary schools have sought to increase tuition by up to 10 percent in the coming school year, less than half the number of schools that hiked tuition and other fees in the last academic term.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro made this announcement Monday, explaining that the schools’ application for tuition hikes were made largely to fund for the pay increase of teachers and school staff, a move he thought was reasonable considering the rising cost of goods and services.
“To date, only about eight percent of the total private schools have sought an increase. Many of them have not gone to the maximum 15 to 20 percent increase,” Luistro told reporters.
The applications are still under review but Luistro said most of them will get the Department of Education’s approval as the proposed increase are commensurate with the rate of inflation.
He said most schools have only sought an increase of between five and 10 percent. Last year, 246 private elementary and high schools out of a total 13,295 have increased tuition, Luistro said.
There are 7,613 accredited private elementary schools and 4,707 high schools across the country.
“If you say there should be no increase, I think that’s also not fair because the hiked fees are earmarked for salaries of teachers and you have to consider inflation. That’s where the balancing has to be done,” Luistro said.
“Actually, small yearly increases are better for parents instead of setting a moratorium now and then allowing the schools to impose a major increase after four years,” he added.
The official said no “significant” wave of transfers of private school students to public schools due to rising tuition costs have been recorded.
“When we traced that last year, there was no significant movement from private to public schools. There are pockets of this, but most are transfers from private schools that closed down,” Luistro said.
Earlier, the Commission on Higher Education said some 300 colleges and universities have applied for tuition increase.