Dr. Christopher Pio O. Pulido, a supervising education program specialist at Ched-Davao, disclosed in a media interview on Friday, May 10, 2024, at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) Gymnasium, that the number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) requesting tuition fee increases had risen to 40, compared to 22 the previous year. Most of these HEIs are situated in Davao City.
Pulido stressed that Ched-Davao must ensure that any approved fee hikes are reasonable, as there is no legal restriction on HEIs raising fees, provided they adhere to the necessary procedures. One crucial procedure involves student consultations, enabling students to voice their opinions on proposed increases and raise objections.
"On our part, we are also working to minimize the impact on our students. Therefore, we advise schools to keep any increases within the inflation rate," Pulido stated. He mentioned that any fee increase should ideally be in line with the current inflation rate, which stands at 6.3 percent.
"I am pleased to announce that schools planning fee adjustments are ensuring that these are within or below this level," he added.
Pulido also outlined reasons why schools may consider raising fees, such as the necessity to raise staff wages following government-mandated increments and to enhance facilities.
Ched-Davao highlighted that if private HEI fees become unaffordable for students, they can explore transferring to state universities and colleges where education is tuition-free. Nevertheless, Pulido clarified that admission to public institutions is competitive, and the government only offers scholarship programs to financially disadvantaged and deserving students.
Jesper Campus, a second-year Bachelor of Social Work student in Davao City, expressed his concerns to SunStar Davao regarding the potential impact of fee increases on himself and his fellow students.
He mentioned, "Increased tuition fees and additional expenses will create difficulties for students and their parents, especially those from lower-income backgrounds, as it may diminish their hopes of pursuing a college education."
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