Walang aaprubahang tuition increase sa mga kolehiyo at unibersidad para sa academic year 2026-2027 sa gitna ng energy crisis na dulot ng giyera sa Middle East, ayon kay Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson Shirley Agrupis.
“We have received a lot of requests [for tuition and other fee increases]. But we only have one answer. While we recognize the increasing needs of a higher education institution (HEI), we are appealing that this is not the right time to increase tuition,” ani Agrupis sa isang press conference.
Ang nasabing desisyon ng ahensya ay kaugnay ng Executive Order 110 na inilabas ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na nagdedeklara ng “state of national energy emergency.” Sa ilalim ng nasabing order, iniutos ang whole-of-government approach para maibsan ang pasanin ng mga apektadong sektor.
“So, they [colleges and universities] understood, but we are in the process of calling a meeting with HEIs,” dagdag ni Agrupis.
Sinabi rin ni Agrupis na tapos na ang harmonization ng tuition at iba pang fees sa lahat ng state universities and colleges.
“We have already presented it to the Department of Budget and Management. But that is only the government-funded, which is covered by our Republic Act 10931, also known as the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act,” ani Agrupis.
Sa usapin ng klase, kakaunti lamang na colleges at universities ang magsasagawa ng full online classes matapos payagan ng CHED ang higher education institutions na magpatupad ng flexible learning habang umiiral ang state of national energy emergency.
“We really thank our HEI leaders because they really adhered to our call that we leave to their wisdom to determine the readiness and the capacity of the university without sacrificing the expected quality outcome that we want to implement,” ani Agrupis.
Una na dito, naglabas si Agrupis ng memorandum na nagpapahintulot sa HEIs na gumamit ng hanggang 100 percent online delivery kung kinakailangan at bilang temporary arrangement. Nakabatay ito sa institutional capacity at student readiness, at kailangang ipaalam sa concerned CHED regional office.
Ayon kay Agrupis, layunin ng memorandum na gabayan ang HEIs para matiyak ang academic continuity habang pinangangalagaan ang student welfare, program outcomes, at institutional sustainability. /Bistado