Tuition moratorium

EDITORIAL

Colleges and universities all over the country are once again pushing for an increase in tuition even as students are getting hard up along with their parents.

In the local level in Baguio, the National Union of Student in the Philippines has appealed to the Commission on Higher Education for a moratorium of increase of tuition in the city.

This after the University of the Cordilleras proposed an increase of 10 percent in tuition and other fees while Saint Louis University pushed for a five percent increase for first year with six percent miscellaneous and other fees in all levels.

The Baguio College of Technology has also announced increase in tuition and other fees but the exact figures were not provided.

“The increasing tuition rate is one pertinent problem of students and parents. That is why we have long been calling the attention of the CHED to address this issue and for immediate implementation of genuine tuition moratorium,” said Finela Mejia, chairperson of NUSP Baguio-Benguet.

Last year, five universities and colleges increased tuition and other fees despite students’ appeal due to the financial global crisis.

Schools include UC (10% miscellaneous), SLU (7% miscellaneous), National University (10% TOFI), KMAC (33% in all fees, all levels) and STI College (6% tuition for incoming freshmen).

Now the NUSP is calling on all schools with intentions to increase tuition and other fees to inform students about it. The group is also calling on schools who have already announced their intention to conduct democratic consultations regarding these increases.

CHEd memo 13, the guideline that is used by HEIs in tuition increase demands for a democratic consultation among various sectors inside the school.

The NUSP said it appreciates the CHEd’s initiative in CMO 02 series of 2010, and hopes they do the necessary response regarding tuition increase. Schools like colleges exist because of the students. These schools should follow democratic means and conform to legal laws in their intention to increase tuition rates. It’s like killing the goose that lays the golden egg if they don’t do so.