MANILA – The Department of Education has given more than 1,000 private schools nationwide the go-ahead to increase their tuition and other school fees for school year 2017-2018.
Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones put the exact number of schools at 1, 013, with the average increase across the regions at 8 percent.
DepEd data showed that that National Capital Region has the highest number of private schools cleared to hike tuition, with 183 out of 2,032 schools; Region XI with 154 out of 564; Region III with 104 out of 1,564; and Region V with 101 schools out of 553.
DepEd has 17 regional offices (excluding ARMM).
Briones assured the public that schools that got tuition-hike approval had undergone steps to
ensure that the increase is reasonable and in accordance with DepEd guidelines.
She was referring to DepEd’s 2010 Manual of Regulations that mandates “70 percent of any tuition hike should go to the upgrading of teachers salaries, 20 percent for the improvement of school facilities and equipment and, 10 percent as return on investment of the school owners.”
The private schools were earlier asked to submit documentation that proves consultations were conducted with all stakeholders.
According to the latest data from DepEd, private schools nationwide currently stood at 12,890.
