Pagtaas ng tuition napapanahon ba ngayon?

[maitreya]

Very timely news today:

Vol. XXII, No. 144
Monday, February 23, 2009 | MANILA, PHILIPPINES

The Nation
House leadership backing freeze on tuition adjustments
THE HOUSE is supporting an initiative to set a moratorium on tuition increases in light of the economic crisis.

In a statement, Speaker Prospero C. Nograles yesterday said the chamber’s leadership would endorse the proposal of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro A. Casiño, Jr. for a legislated three-year freeze on tuition adjustments.

"With the looming threats of heightened retrenchment of Filipino workers here and abroad, public interest dictates that the country’s private and state-owned schools, universities and colleges should set aside any plan to increase tuition fees," he said.

Mr. Nograles said the House would exercise oversight powers on noncompliant schools.

"The possibility of tuition fee increase this coming school year has far-reaching effects on the country’s social ills, including peace and order. We should do everything to help those who are willing to finish their studies but cannot afford paying their tuition fees," he added.

Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chairman Emmanuel Y. Angeles said they would conduct a series of consultations with university and college officials nationwide on the freeze on tuition increases.

"As a regulatory body, we will try to convince schools, colleges and universities to postpone any intent to increase tuition fees for the time being," he said in an interview yesterday.

Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus said in an earlier meeting with school owners, he appealed for them to reconsider plans of raising tuition.

"I told the school owners if they increase their tuition too much, they could end up with fewer students and lower profits. Students have other options they could opt to transfer to other schools with minimal tuition fee increase," he said in a separate interview.

Mr. Lapus said school owner in Metro Manila have said they would "keep an open mind regarding his suggestion."

CHEd regulates tertiary and higher level institutions while the Department of Education oversees elementary and high schools. — J. F. S. Valdez

http://www.bworld.com.ph/BW022309/content.php?id=074


Increasing tuition fees is a very touchy topic. On a historic sense, some people blame the increase of fees for the fall of CAP/Pacific Plans/etc. Also because of the current crisis, people, would want to spend less. But for those who think of education as business (as it good business IMO), tuition fees are needed to stay alive. So we got a mix of opinions, different perspectives.