DepEd okays tuition hike of 38 schools in east Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, June 6 -- The Department of Education (DepEd) has approved the tuition hike sought by 38 private schools in Eastern Visayas this academic year.

The number is more than 10 percent of the 301 non-government schools in the region.

DepEd Eastern Visayas regional public affairs unit head Jasmin Calzita on Wednesday said the regional office approved the tuition fee adjustment after private schools met all the requirements set by the Education department.

The number of approved application has increased this week from only 20 schools last month.

By DepEd rules and regulations, 70 percent of the approved increase should go to salaries of teachers, 20 percent for the improvement of facilities, and the rest to form part of their retained earnings.

One of the requirements is financial statement indicating the school’s financial status certified by a public accountant, as well as a copy of the last tax return filed at the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

“Consultations with the parents and students must also be conducted by the schools. We make sure that at least 75 percent of parents signed the tuition fee increase proposal,” Calzita told the Philippine News Agency (PNA). 

These schools are St. Joseph High School of Dagami, Inc., Assumption Academy, Inc., Holy Child Parish School of Isabel, Inc., Notre Dame of Jaro, Inc., Holy Cross College of Carigara, Villaba Vocational High School, St. Vincent Ferrer Academy, Colegio de San Francisco Javier, Inc., St. Mary’s Academy of Palo, Inc., Notre Dame of Abuyog, Inc., Immaculate Concepcion Academy of Burauen, Inc., MLG College of Learning, Inc., and Grelina Osmeña Christian College in Leyte province.

Sacred Heart School, Tacloban United Christian School, Inc., and St. Therese Education Foundation of Tacloban, Inc. in Tacloban City; Ormoc Immaculate Concepcion School Foundation, Inc., Ormoc Sacred Heart Child Development Center, The San Lorenzo-Immaculate Concepcion Parochial School Ormoc, Inc. in Ormoc City.

Catarman Chamber Elementary School Foundation, Inc., St. Michael Academy, Pearl Island Academy Foundation, Inc., St. Joseph Academy in Northern Samar; St. Michael’s High School, MSH Sisters Academy of Basey, Inc., La Milagrosa Academy, Samar Colleges, Inc. in Samar.

St. Mary’s Academy of Guiuan, Inc., Holy Cross Academy of Oras, Inc., Our Lady of Fatima Academy, Inc., and St. Mary’s College of Borongan in Eastern Samar; Holy Rosary Academy of Hinunangan, Hinundayan Catholic Institute, Inc., Saint Ignatius Loyola Academy, Inc., Saint Joseph College of Maasin, MACI-Jose K. Demetrio Learning Foundation, Inc., Celestino Ablas Sr. Academy Foundations, Inc., and Sto. Niño Academy in Southern Leyte.

The DepEd is expecting that more learners will transfer to public schools because of the rising cost of private school education.

“When it comes to learning process, the quality of education is improving in public schools. This is a welcome development for DepEd, but we don’t disregard our partnership with private schools especially in senior high school since they have complete facilities,” Calzita said.

Harold Naputo, information officer of Rizal Central School in Tacloban, believes that the surge in Grade 1 enrollment could be the result of the tuition hikes.

From 250 Grade 1 pupils in the last school year, the number increased to 298 as of Wednesday.

“Some pupils spend their kindergarten in private schools and move to public school when they reach Grade 1. As a public school, we cannot refuse enrollees even if some rooms are quite crowded,” Naputo added.

On Monday, 1.24 million learners trooped to over 4,400 schools in the region, signaling the start of a new academic year. (SQM/PNA)