Tuition increase should be mutually beneficial

If you have sons or daughters in a private college or university, prepare to cough up more for their tuition and other fees this coming schoolyear.That's because the Commission on Higher Education has approved the increase in tuition and other school fees of 313 private higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country.

According to CHED, there will be an average increase of 6.48 percent in tuition and other school fees across the country for school year 2015 to 2016. Of the 313 HEIs, 283 will increase tuition while 212 will increase other school fees, CHED said. There will be an average increase of 6.17 percent for tuition, equivalent to P29.86 per unit, while other school fees will see an average increase of 6.55 percent, equivalent to P135.60.

CHED said that in approving the applications for increase, it considered the following factors: regional inflation rate; financial standing of the institution; financial capacity of the general studentry; impact of force majeure or calamities; quality track record of the school; and the mission and vision of the institution.

According to the agency, ''CHED's approach to the issue of tuition is holistic. In the light of contending concerns and interests in society, there is need to balance access issues with sustainability of educational institutions." But a militant party-list group is up in arms against the CHED move, saying that the tuition hike is ''over and beyond'' the country's projected inflation.

Projected inflation, as the CHED noted, is only one component of the approved hike, so the stand of the protesters stands on thin ice, as it were.  What is important here, from where we sit, is to reconcile the interests of  both the school and the students. As the CHED said, its decision sought "to balance access issues with sustainability of educational institutions."

The access issue is addressed by keeping the increase in tuition and other fees to a reasonable level. A 6 percent increase in tuition is not exorbinant at all. If this increase will be used to hike teachers' salaries (and thus keep their morale high) and to upgrade school facilities, then it is a win-win situation on both sides.