Friday, May 16, 2008 116 more private schools ask for tuition hike
FIFTY-four private elementary and 62 secondary schools in Metro Manila are seeking to increase their tuition this school year, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.
DepEd Director for the National Capital Region (NCR) Teresita Domalanta said majority of the schools are seeking to raise their fees by an average of two to 10 percent.
“School management realized that life is so difficult now and many could not cope with high tuition. They are aware that any increase beyond 10 percent would result in a decline of enrolment,” Domalanta said.
Domalanta said she is elated that only a small number of schools have filed petition to raise their fees this school year.
DepEd-NCR records showed that there are 1,236 private elementary and 746 secondary schools in the metropolis.
Last year, the DepEd regional office gave 48 elementary schools the go-signal to raise fees after finding their petitions to be reasonable.
Last Thursday was the deadline for the filing of petition. DepEd said they will make public the results starting May 16 to 19.
But another DepEd-NCR official who requested anonymity said there are schools that have filed petition beyond the two or 10 percent.
The education department said out of the 54 schools, 42 are increasing from six to 10 percent, two others are seeking an increase from 10 to 20 percent while three others sought an increase of as much as 35 to 40 percent.
In the secondary level, 53 are increasing from two to 10 percent, eight from 10 to 20 percent while another sought as much as 23-25 percent.
Among the more well-known institutions that have filed petitions are the St. Theresa College (five percent), St. Joseph College (10 percent), Trinity University of Asia (eight percent), and Ateneo de Manila University (six percent), all of Quezon City.
In Manila, applicants included the Malate Catholic School (11 percent) and University of the East and Letran, both seeking a 10 percent increase.
DepEd also said at least three schools petitioned for more than 20 percent. These are the Las Piñas College (25 percent), Batasan Chunan Christian School (26 to 29 percent) and Southeastern College (36 to 47 percent).
It said schools can raise tuition if, among others, a major portion of the increase would go to the upgrading of school equipment and salaries of teachers.
The agency requires a 70-20-10 apportionment of increases as follows: 70 for equipment upgrading, 20 percent for textbooks and similar tools, and 10 percent for salary upgrading.
Petitioners must show in detail why the increases are justified and that parents have been consulted. (AH/Sunnex)
