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By Anthony Vargas, Reporter
Schools run by the Catholic Church are not keen
on heeding the government’s request of freezing their tuition
increases when classes open next month.
President Gloria Arroyo on Monday issued a
directive to freeze tuition increases by schools and universities
next month, because of the unabated rise in food and oil prices.
The President, at the same time, also ordered
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to conduct a study on
whether private universities and colleges have complied with laws on
the imposition of tuition hikes.
Mariano Piamonte, consultant of the Catholic
Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said that President
Arroyo’s request has a slim chance of being heeded by Catholic
schools.
“I cannot say, but the chance [of not pushing
with any increase in tuition] is very slim at this point of time,”
Piamonte said during Tuesday’s Church-organized forum in
Intramuros, Manila.
The CEAP consultant said the President’s call
for a freeze in tuition hikes is only “reactionary,” because of
the continued rise in prices of oil products and basic commodities
that were not foreseen.
“What the President did was only reactionary.
She shouldn’t be blamed on this, but since it [directive to freeze
tuition fee hike] was late, she could no longer be appreciated,”
Piamonte said.
He suggested that instead of freezing tuition
increases, parents can cope by availing of government programs like
the “Study Now, Pay Later.”
CEAP is a national association of Church-run
educational institutions in the country and was founded in 1941. It
now has 1,252 member-schools including universities and colleges.
CHED appeals anew
CHED Commissioner Nona Ricafort, in a briefing
after the joint National Economic and Development
Authority–National Anti-Poverty Commission meeting held at San
Fernando, La Union, said President Arroyo instructed the education
body to make the appeal in a move to ease the burden of higher food
prices and oil on the poor.
‘’For the private higher education
institutions we cannot impose, that is why we are strongly appealing
to them if it is possible for them to withhold any tuition fee
increase.’’ Ricaforte said.
-- With Angelo S. Samonte
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