LAWMAKERS urged Saturday the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) to recall the so-called "midnight order" allowing the application for tuition fee increase of 304 private colleges and universities.
Incoming Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Elago said the latest action made by Ched is "an unconscionable move that will only deepen the financial woes of many students and their families."
"This new wave of tuition increases will undoubtedly force more students to stop schooling due to financial constraints," Elago said.
A study released by Kabataan Party-list back in December showed that both tuition rates and profits of private universities have almost doubled under Aquino's five years as president especially the annual profits of some of the most prominent academic institutions have almost doubled.
"In fact we have schools like the Far Eastern University and the University of the East that are included in the Top 1,000 corporations in 2015," said Elago.
With the rising cost of education, government figures reveal that for every 100 students who enter Grade 1, only 66 finish Grade 6, while only 43 will be able to finish high school. Of this number, only 23 will be able to continue studying at the tertiary level and only 14 will graduate.
"Some colleges may say that they need to increase tuition to compensate for the loss of income due to the low freshman enrollment resulting from the full implementation of K-12. Yet we have to remember that education is not and should not be treated as business, and students must not be forced to bear the brunt of K-12’s impact on higher education," she said.
Elago urged incoming President Rodrigo Duterte to order a tuition moratorium immediately upon assuming office.
"Issuing an executive order to freeze tuition hikes is an immediate relief for students," he said.
Re-elected Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone backed Elego's statement saying Duterte should immediately appoint a new set of Ched officials to attend to urgent issues on higher education.
"Ched should recall its midnight order (of) approving the application for tuition fee increase of more than 300 private colleges and universities in difference to the incoming Duterte Administration," said Evardone. (Sunnex)