GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/23 May) — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in Region 12 has endorsed for approval the applications of 13 private colleges and universities in the region for another round of increase in tuition for this school year.
Dr. Maximo Aljibe, CHED Region 12 director, said Friday they already transmitted to their central office the applications and documentary requirements submitted by the concerned institutions in compliance with the conditions set for the proposed fee increases.
He said they issued the endorsement after completing the initial assessment of the applications, which were mainly seeking for five- to seven-percent increases in tuition.
The applications will undergo another evaluation by the central office and final deliberations by the commission en banc, he said.
“But these are already good as approved based on our evaluation of their application requirements, especially their compliance to the conditions set by the central office,” the official said.
The requirements include consultations with students, parents and other concerned groups about the proposed tuition hikes.
CHED also requires that 70 percent of the applied increase in tuition and other school fees should be allocated to the upgrading of teachers’ and school personnel’s benefits, salaries and allowances while the remaining 30 percent should go to improvements in school facilities and equipment.
Aljibe, who spearheaded the regional evaluation process, said three colleges and universities in the region have sought for an increase of five percent in their tuition while the 10 others proposed for a 7.34 percent adjustment.
Region 12, which is also known as the Soccsksargen Region, comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato as well as the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.
The three institutions seeking a five percent hike are the Dr. P. Ocampo Colleges in Cotabato City, Notre Dame of Salaman College in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat and the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University in this city.
Those pushing for the 7.34 percent increase are the Coland Systems Technology in Cotabato City; Notre Dame of Tacurong College in Tacurong City; Notre Dame of Marbel University and King’s College of Marbel Inc. in Koronadal City; Southern Baptist College in M’lang, North Cotabato;
Mindanao Polytechnic College in this city; Notre Dame of Kidapawan and Central Mindanao College in Kidapawan City; Southern Christian College in Midsayap, North Cotabato; and, Notre Dame RVM College in Cotabato City.
AMA Computer Learning Center in Koronadal earlier filed an application for tuition fee adjustment but later withdrew it.
Aljibe said some of the applicants initially filed proposed adjustments of as high 10 percent but the agency immediately returned them for revision as the region’s ceiling for the tuition hikes this year was only set at 7.34 percent.
He said such ceiling was based on the average annual inflation rate in the region established by the National Economic and Development Authority and other concerned agencies.
“When we returned it to them, they readily adjusted their figures in compliance with that ceiling,” he added. (MindaNews)
