Caraga okays tuition fee hike to 15%

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – All 57 higher education institutions in Caraga have already implemented increase in payment of other school expenses such as development and laboratory fees while four others out of the total 57 public and private universities and colleges in Caraga Region have already started collecting 10 percent to 15 percent tuition fee increase.

Dr. Anastacio Martinez, higher education institutions’ chief for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Caraga regional office told The STAR the increase of “other school fees” in the region had been collected since the start of enrolment which ranges between 10 percent to 15 percent.

Martinez said that the opening of classes is slated on June 7. He identified four private colleges in the region whose tuition fee have been approved during parents, teachers and students’ consultation process. These are STI in Surigao City, Surigao Education Center also in Surigao Cty, Agusan del Sur Colleges in Bayugan City and Asian College Foundation here in Butuan City.

St. Theresa College in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur that have earlier asked for tuition fee hike decided not to implement the tuition fee collection following observations that there were fewer enrolees as the opening of classes draws near, Martinez said.

Martinez said that the CHED regional office, however, will monitor how these tuition fee increases will be implemented, saying they will ask teachers if their salaries were upgraded and ask students, too, if school facilities such as laboratories were improved. – Ben Serrano