The Parent Teacher Council (PTC) in my children’s school recently called for a meeting with parent-representatives to discuss about the proposed tuition fee increase for the coming school year 2014-2015. We were told that the school administrators informed the PTC of their plans for such an increase. Was the issue open for discussion? Actually no, but the advance information plus the apologetic faces and countenance of the sisters running the school tempered the usual expected violent reactions to tuition fee increases which led me to wonder how tuition fee increase in Philippine schools is effected?

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Pertinent Law

Republic Act 6139, which was approved in August 1970,  is an act intended to regulate tuition and other school fees of private educational institutions. This law provides for the authority of the Secretary of Education to regulate such fees subject to certain limits as provided in the law. It requires schools, colleges, universities, and other educational institutions to propose increases by following a set procedure. Presently, limitation as to the increase in tuition and other school fees are subject to the conditions set under the 2010 Revised Manual of Regulations for Private Schools in Basic Education specifically Sections 180-182. *

The procedure includes the need to serve written notice to the student council, association of parents, or the Parents-Teachers Association at least 180 days before the school year or semester when the increase is to be adopted.  Copies are also sent to concerned government agencies for proper handling of formal opposition, if any. The increase is deemed authorized if no opposition is received during the given time. The percentage of increase is limited to 15% of the prior fees.

Usual Reasons for Tuition Fee Increase

Even as parents and students complain about the almost yearly increase in tuition fees in Philippine schools, colleges, and universities, there are acceptable reasons for such an increase. In the last meeting PTC meeting I attended, I heard 3 that made sense.

1. Salaries of Teachers

The school needs to be competitive when it comes to the salaries of the teachers. Failure to address this will result to the exodus of teachers to other schools where better pay and benefits are offered. Frequent turnover of teachers is especially disadvantageous to the students since all the experienced teachers who are more qualified for higher salaries usually leave first, leaving students with fresh graduates who have yet to gain teaching experience.

2. Continuous Development

Continuous development of teachers entails cost and they are increasing as well. In my children’s school, teachers are made to undergo training for E-learning and the K-12 curriculum. The teachers and other school personnel need this to be current with the latest in teaching. They are expected in turn to pass on the benefit to students by providing quality education.

3. Additional and Improvement of Facilities

Due to the scheduled full implementation of the K-12 program and the ASEAN educational program by 2015, schools need to be physically ready to provide the demands of these programs. The need for additional classrooms is obvious because of the additional 2 years in high school. Aligning the standards of Philippine schools with its neighboring countries will require physical and organizational modifications as well in the prevailing system. Any change as we all know translates to costs.

Notice of Tuition Fee Increase

Most schools follow the procedure with regards to consultation and disseminating information, providing enough time for parents and students to swallow the bitter pill of increased expenses. Some take the student body by surprise. Extraordinary causes such as fluctuations in currency, strikes, and other unforeseeable circumstances may necessitate the increase and effectively shorten the prescribed period of notice.

My Say

When it comes to any increase in the cost of education, I feel very affected because of the resulting consequence to our family budget. When the PTC President asked us parents if we are okay with the increase, most of us can only smile good-naturedly and say that even if we are not okay with it, we understand why it is being done. Besides, it isn’t as if we can stop the increase if we want to.

God help us make both ends meet this coming school year, especially with the proposed elimination of the textbooks in favor of the tablet for our children’s use. Also,I’m sure there will be other cost increases to deal with related to daily living. Still we pursue quality education for our children for I have proven that this is the only thing that we parents can really leave our children that can never be taken away from them, just like what my parents told me in my own time.