National Union of Students of the Philippines

National Office C/o Office of the Student Regent, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman, QC Telephone 9818500 loc. 4511 Mobile 0906-2458411/ 0920-6209362 Email nusp_national@yahoo.com

PRESS RELEASE | March 28, 2013 REFERENCE: Ms. Sheryl C. Alapad, NUSP Deputy Sec. Gen, 0926-9376161 Ms. Kat Manangan, NUSP National Secretariat, 0916-1973565

NUSP to CHED, PNoy and 451 schools tuition hike: insensitive and unapologetic
Insensitive, unapologetic, anti-student and anti-people. This is how the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) slammed the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) after the latter recently announced that it has received proposals for tuition increase from 451 schools, universities and colleges. This means that CHED has not heeded the students and NUSPs demand for a tuition increase moratorium for the coming school year. NUSP earlier NUSP earlier filed a complaint to CHED against schools, colleges and universities that submitted proposals for tuition increase without due consultation with the students and other sectors of their respective schools. NUSP also strongly urged CHED to impose a tuition increase moratorium in light of the absence of genuine consultations, of the rising cost of commodity goods, of joblessness, and of CHEDs lack of stricter guidelines. It is both an unpleasant surprise and a terrible attack against students and parents how CHED has feigned our just demand for a tuition moratorium, says Mr. Victor Villanueva, NUSP National President. Despite the incidence of bogus consultations and unjust fee increases that we have incessantly reported to CHED, the commission has slighted the students by remaining deaf to our calls. What could be more insensitive than a commission supposedly sworn to protect students rights announcing applications for tuition increase from 451 schools. This ultimately means how irresponsible and insensitive this agency and this government is, adds Villanueva. According to Ms. Sheryl Alapad, NUSP Deputy Secretary General, even CHED Chair Patricia Licuanan admits that the current CHED guideline for tuition increase is in dire need of revisions. But Alapad said that the commissions chair seems to have a myopic view of what tuition increase guideline revisions should be. Chair Licuanans notion of revisions is stressfully alarming. Revisions should not only mean ensuring genuine consultations, implementing stricter justifications, and arriving at a reasonable formula for tuition increase. Revisions should also mean and include strict measures to prevent schools from irresponsibly and unjustifiably increasing tuition. The way it is today, schools that increase tuition without due consultations are not penalized by CHED, adds Alapad.

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National Union of Students of the Philippines

National Office C/o Office of the Student Regent, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman, QC Telephone 9818500 loc. 4511 Mobile 0906-2458411/ 0920-6209362 Email nusp_national@yahoo.com

CHED should not allow tiered or ladderized tuition increases. The current guideline allows schools to increase tuition for incoming freshmen and transferees without having to undergo consultations. This ultimately gives schools the autocracy to increase tuition. Such is the case with De La Salle Araneta University (DLSAU), where current students militantly opposed any form of tuition increase. However, DLSAU intends to impose a 5% tuition increase for incoming freshmen and transferee students, avers Villanueva. As if adding insult to injury, CHED has not only denigrated the students legitimate call for a tuition increase moratorium, but has legalized unfair and bogus consultations by its mere announcement of tuition increase proposals, says Alapad. It is unimaginable how this commission and this government, in light of recent events including the untimely death of UP Manilas Kristel Tejada, have the gall to not hear and act on the students demand for a tuition moratorium. Schools are expected to submit all supporting documents to CHED by April 1 while CHED regional offices are expected to hear the petitions by April 15. NUSP vows to hold intense protest actions to air the students demand for CHED to disapprove such petitions. CHED does not have any reason not to disapprove of tuition increase proposals because the students and their parents cannot handle such furtherance any longer. The Aquino administration is also culpable for allowing schools to make a profit out of students, ends Villanueva.

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