How to avoid a tuition hike

Last week, classes in public school started and what did we see? Basically the same problems we’ve had for many years like lack of classrooms and teachers, dilapidated schools plus buildings that were destroyed by the earthquake and supertyphoon Yolanda that the government, bogged down by red tape, has not rebuilt yet.

Yesterday, some private schools started their classes and again the same problems are confronting them especially the increase in tuition that parents and students face. This problem has been going on for years and apparently there is no solution in sight. The problems arise from the creation of a law enacted during the time of president Ferdinand Marcos.
Tuition increases are natural in universities and colleges especially when school personnel demand a salary hike and the school’s only source of the increase is the increment in tuition as mandated by law.

Private schools also incur costs like personnel salary that would redound to the benefit of its clientele, the students. But the increase becomes burdensome to the parents who shoulder them.
Let it be noted that the cycle of increases starts with personnel asking for salary hikes in a school which has no other way to meet the demand but through raising tuition levles. As the former president of the College Faculty Association of the University of San Carlos (USC), I had the opportunity to review the financial records of the university and the fact remains that the school does not profit much in its operation.

Any tuition increase is mandated to be distributed as follows: 70 percent for wages of personnel, 20 percent for any developmental cost and 10 percent as return of investment.

In USC, there was a time when wages ate up 80 percent of the tuition increase leaving 20 percent for development.

In negotiations, the university, in fairness, is the first to oppose any tuition increase because officials are aware that it becomes burdensome for parents and students.

The school is left with no choice but to meet the needs of personnel. I pity the administration of the university because they are in a damned if you do and damned if you don’t situation.

So what can be done? Well I have humbly suggested for so many years now that the national government grant personnel of private schools a tax exemption or tax reduction so that after being taxed, teachers would have a heftier take home pay and school personnel would no longer ask for a salary increase since they have enough money to cover their needs.

But my suggestion was not adopted by the private schools or any of the teachers’ associations because they know that from the start it is almost impossible to ask the government for a tax exemption given its need of funds to finance projects.

But why not? If the government can afford to provide billions of pesos to members of Congress for their pork barrels, why not grant tax exemption to teaching and non-teaching school personnel? Teachers play a very important role in molding children to become good, productive citizens. They teach our children the values of honesty, hard work and discipline.

Government officials are products of the hard work of our teachers despite the fact that they receive low salaries. I hope that the national government will eventually see the light and consider my suggestion.

Many teachers sacrifice a lot for love of their profession. I hope that the national government will finally recognize that and take positive action.