Charamie Bismanos, 19, was feeling angry.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) announced that 29 private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Central Visayas have applied for an increase in tuition this school opening.
“Na-strong gyud ko anang tuition fee increase. Ngano mana sila? Wala man gani ko mag-uyab-uyab kay ganahan pako mo-graduate, patas-an na nuon nila ang tuition fee (I got so angry with that plan to increase tuition. What is with them? I didn’t even go into a relationship because I wanted to graduate. Now, they are increasing their tuition),” she said.
She said she was only granted half scholarship by CHEd so her parents would still have to shell out a huge amount of money to pay her tuition at the University of the Visayas where she was an incoming 4th year Mass Communications student.
Her father, Samson, works as a security guard while her mother, Manolita, takes care of the home.
A younger sister is enrolled in a public high school while her two elder brothers plan to take advantage of the free education in public tertiary schools under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act 10931) which will start this school year.
“They (elder brothers) will just enroll in public schools. Aside from this, I still have a younger sister who is now in high school,” she added
At least 29 private colleges and universities in Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Oriental have filed applications with CHEd in Central Visayas to adjust their tuition this school opening by six percent.
Of the 29, 16 would raise the tuition of incoming freshmen while 13 others would impose the new rates on their old students or second year and onwards.
Dr. Freddie Bernal, CHEd director in Central Visayas, refused to give more information on the schools since their application had not been approved by their central office.
He said one school had applied for an increase but later withdrew its application.
Another school, he added, called their office that they will no longer push through with the plan to increase although CHEd-7 had not received any formal withdrawal.
“Maybe they are thinking that some of their students might transfer to schools that are not increasing their tuition or to a public school where the tuition is free,” Bernal said.
Under the Education Act of 1982, private schools are allowed to determine their rate of tuition and other school charges subject to the rules and regulations promulgated by the CHEd, the Department of Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Bernal said private colleges and institutions would have to set aside 70 percent of the adjustment for salaries of their teachers and non-teaching staff while 20 percent would be for improvement of the schools. Only 10 percent would go for the schools’ return of investment (ROI).
With the looming tuition increase in private universities and colleges, Cebu City Councilor Joy Augustus Young assured that the city’s scholars had nothing to worry about.
Young, city council committee chair on education, said that while the subsidy would still be at P10,000, they were negotiating with their partner schools to provide discounts and lessen the tuition that would be paid by the students.
“We are asking for discounts from the schools because we are sending them a large number of students,” said Young.
He added that they were looking into other forms of special scholarships or educational assistance to help students amid the plan to increase the tuition.
Aside from government scholarships, underprivileged students may also avail of the free tuition offered by nine state universities and colleges in Central Visayas.
These include Cebu Normal University (CNU) which has three campuses in Cebu City and in the towns of Medellin and Balamban.
The Cebu Technological University (CTU) has nine campuses in the cities of Cebu and Danao as well as in the towns of Argao, Barili, Carmen, Daanbantayan, Moalboal, San Francisco and Tuburan.
The others are the Bohol Island State University (BISU), Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), Siquijor State College , Carcar City College, Sibonga Community College, Buenavista Community College and the Trinidad Municipal College in Bohol.
Bernal admitted that some private schools were threatened by the full implementation of RA 10931 that provides free tuition in State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) and Local Colleges and Universities (LUCs).
But he said these public schools could only accommodate students based on their capacity.
“As of the moment, nothing has changed on their accommodation limit. There were no additional teachers being hired, number of classrooms, infrastructure, facilities and etc,” he said.
“So I’m sure that a lot of students would still be enrolled in private schools, especially that the 1st batch of K-12 have already graduated,” he explained, referring to the first batch of senior high school students who were entering first year college.
Not all LUCs — schools operated by local governments — can also provide free education because they have not submitted the required documentation and put up the facilities required by CHEd.
Bernal cited a school which offered a Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM) program but didn’t have a mini-hotel or restaurant in the campus — a requirement for the program — since to do so would be capital intensive.
Only four LUCs were eligible to offer free tuition.
These are Carcar City College and Sibonga Community College in Cebu province; and Buenavista Community College and Trinidad Municipal College in Bohol.
The six others had yet to comply with the requirements.
These were Lapu-Lapu City College; Cordova Public College; Mandaue City College; Talisay City College; Consolacion Community College; and Madridejos Community College — all based in Cebu.
“Talisay (City College) is already compliant. They may be included in next year’s tranche of the program,” he said.
Bernal said that a composite team from the regional and central office of CHEd conducts an inspection and accreditation to LUCs.
He said the local government units must comply with the requirements so the LUCs would be accredited.
“We’ve already sent them checklists of their deficiencies and things that they need to comply,” Bernal added.
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