CHED allows tuition, miscellaneous fee hike in 313 private schools

The Commission on Higher Education on Tuesday approved the proposals of 313 private higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country to increase tuition and other school fees for the next academic year.

This was higher than the 287 approved proposals last year.

READ: Student activists protest tuition hike of 287 colleges

In a statement, CHED said the hike in school fees is set at a nationwide average of 6.48 percent for the school year 2015-2016.

A total of 283 schools will increase tuition, while 212 are set to increase other school fees.

An average increase of P29.86 or 6.17 percent per unit is expected in tuition, while miscellaneous fees are seen to increase by 6.55 percent or P135.60.

“These figures are down from last year’s PhP35.66 or 8.13% for tuition and PhP141.55 or 7.97% for other school fees,” the statement read.

In the National Capital Region, which has the highest number of HEIs, the tuition increase is set at P32.34 or 4.52 percent per unit.

CHED said it did not approve any hike proposals in the Yolanda-hit Eastern Visayas.

In approving the requests, the commission said it considered the guidelines stated in CHED Memorandum Order No. 3, series of 2012, namely regional inflation rate, financial standing of the institution, financial capacity of the general [student body], impact of force majeure or calamities, quality track record of the school, and the mission and vision of the institution.

“CHED’s approach to the issue of tuition is holistic. In the light of contending concerns and interests in society, there is need to balance access issues with sustainability of educational institutions,” the statement added.

CHED also said it is currently working on a tuition regulation framework that will help the body to “address the issues of higher education financing.”

“This year it strictly applied an ‘education deflator’ which measures the average cost of providing education services,” the commission said. “This framework will be further strengthened and applied in the coming years to guide the Commission.”

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