THE Commission on Higher Education said Wednesday two of every five high-school graduates may not move on to college this year as around 300 private colleges and universities would be increasing their tuition by up to 15 percent.
The high cost of education would be depriving some students—the poor especially—of the chance to enter college, commission executive director Julito Vitriolo said
“It’s not only the tuition they’ll be thinking about, but also transport costs and other requirements in college,” he said.
The increase in tuition could mean an extra P30 to P100 per unit, Vitriolo said, adding 70 percent of any tuition adjustment would go to pay salaries and wages.
The National Union of Students of the Philippines slammed the planned increase on Wednesday, saying that would cause more students to drop out.
“We also would like to belie the statement of [the Commission on Higher Education] that there would be no increases in [state universities and colleges],” group head Vanessa Bolibol said.
“It is clear whose interest CHED is protecting, and it’s the school owners’ and not the students’ or parents’.”
CHED had recently announced that 292 of 1,792 higher education institutions would be increasing their tuition this year.
In Metro Manila, St. Lukes College of Medicine will increase its tuition by 12 percent; Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo Graduate School of Business, Miriam College, University of the East College of Medicine, Assumption College, and OB Montessori by 5 percent; and University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University and University of the East-Manila will raise their tuition by 4 percent. –Gigi Muñoz-David, Manila Standard Today
