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Monday, May 01, 2006
Fees hike in 18 Cebu schools
FOUR more higher education institutions (HEIs) will increase tuition rates this year compared to last year, records of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) 7 show.
From 22 HEIs that applied for an increase in tuition and other fees last year, a total of 26 of the region’s 144 colleges and universities informed Ched 7 that they will increase school fees by June, or just four months after the government implemented the 12 percent value-added tax rate.
Eighteen of the 26 schools are in Cebu City and the rest of the province.
Ched 7 Director Enrique Grecia said they do not inquire from schools about the reason for the increases.
However, Dante Cabunilas, Ched 7 education supervisor, said all HEIs that raise tuition or school fees at a rate higher than the prevailing inflation rate in the region need to get the approval of the students and to submit requirements to the Ched 7 office.
But some schools still conduct a consultation and comply with government requirements even if they raise fees below the inflation rate.
According to the National Economic and Development Authority 7, the inflation rate in Central Visayas is at 7.6 percent.
However, the Bohol Northeastern Colleges applied for a 24.4 percent increase in all levels, raising its rate at P265 per unit from the P213 in the last school year.
In Cebu City and the rest of the province only Southwestern University, St. Vincent College Inc., Cebu Aeronautical Technical School, Rogationist Seminary College-Cebu and AMA Computer College raised tuition rates at 7.6 percent or below.
Medical schools, like Cebu Doctors’ University (CDU) and Velez College, increased tuition at 10 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively.
However, Ched 7 records show that the two schools have among the highest rates per unit.
Nursing students, for instance, need to pay P777.30 per unit in Velez College and P704.08 per unit at the CDU.
Last year, the two schools charged nursing students only P716.41 and P640.08 per unit, respectively.
Students who want to take up medicine at CDU also need to pay 10 percent more this school year or from last year’s fee of P48,225.52 for the whole year to P53,048.07.
Aside from consulting the students, schools need to submit a certificate of compliance to Ched 7.
This should indicate that 70 percent of the income from the increase previously imposed benefited the school’s faculty and non-teaching personnel, through higher salaries.
The schools should also report to Ched 7 that 30 percent of the income was spent on the improvement of school facilities.
HEIs are expected to conduct consultations with the student body in February and submit all supporting documents by March 1.
“The rate of the tuition increase and the miscellaneous fees the school applied for should be the same. They could not impose higher miscellaneous fees,” Cabunilas added. (CYR)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 1, 2006 issue)
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