EIGHTEEN universities and colleges in Northern Mindanao are applying for tuition increases ranging from 2 to 15 percent to the Commission on Higher Education (Ched-10) for academic year 2014-2015, two of which are community colleges.
According to Ched-10, the schools have complied with the requirements of Ched Memorandum Order No. 3, series of 2012, for application for increase such as consultation with the students, parents, and alumni, deliberation of miscellaneous fees, and others.
The moving average annual inflation rate of education is Ched’s mechanism to check and filter the increases, whether to implement them or not, said John Banaynal, education program specialist of Ched-10.
"There is an independent study conducted by Ched on the effects of the increase and what should be the reasonable rate [for the tuition fee],” he said.
The said study is assisted by the University of the Philippines-Philippine Institute of Development Studies (UP-PIDS). Included in the discussion is the provincial office.
This year’s inflation rate is 7.21 percent. This means that schools proposing for an increase that is higher than the inflation rate will less likely be approved and will be asked to recalculate the increase, Banaynal said.
"Just because the parents, students, and alumni approved the raise, it does not automatically mean that the increase will be approved. The application can still be disapproved,” he added.
However, to schools that did not have an increase last year but are asking for an increase more than the inflation rate such as Northern Bukidnon Community College in Manolo Fortich and St. Peter’s College in Balingasag in Misamis Oriental, there might be considerations to accept them, Banaynal noted.
No school in the city proposed for a raise greater than the inflation rate.
"It is better if the schools will ask for an increase to cover for the costs of operating the school,” Banaynal said.
He added that Ched also has stepped up monitoring of schools and implementation of policies. Banaynal assured that miscellaneous and other fees are also monitored.
He, however, clarified that additional charges for freshmen is not a tuition increase, but a new fee. This fee is also monitored, he said.
Over the past six years, 37 schools have raised their tuition fees, some of them didn’t annually apply for the raise.
The following are the schools and their proposed percentage of increase:
Misamis University, Ozamis City (2.75 percent); St. Michael’s College (3.75 percent); Liceo de Cagayan University (3.99 percent); Cagayan de Oro College (4 percent); Christ the King College de Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte (5 percent); Misamis University, Oroquieta City (5 percent); Christ the King College, Gingoog City (5 percent); Capitol University (5 percent); Lourdes College (5 percent); La Salle University, Ozamiz City (5 percent); Xavier University (5 percent); Northern Bukidnon Community College, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon (10 percent); St. Peter’s College, Balingasag, Misamic Oriental (10 percent); North Central Mindanao College, Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte (10 percent); San Agustin Institute of Technology, Valencia City (10 percent); Fatima College, Mambajao, Camiguin (13.35 percent); Southern Capital College, Oroqueta City (15 percent); and Iligan Medical Center College (15 percent).
‘Oplan Balik Eskwela 2014’
For the upcoming start of classes, Ched-10 sent a memo to the universities and colleges dubbed as "Oplan Balik Eskwela 2014” in line with the implementation of CMO No. 9 s. 2013 known as enhanced policies and guidelines on student affairs and services programs.
Leonora Gomez, education specialist of Ched-10, said the memo was "to remind the higher education institutes to submit a report of their affairs which will be [reported] to Manila.”
After Ched central office, the reports will be forwarded to the Office of Student Services.
