Catholic schools defend higher tuition rates compared to SUCs

Catholic schools on Friday said their tuition rates are generally "higher" compared to state universities and colleges (SUCs) that receive government subsidies. In an interview over church-run radio Veritas, Catholic Educators Association of the Philippines (CEAP) president Fr. Gregg Bañaga said “We have to do justice to our professors and to our staff and administrators in Catholic schools." "The tuition may be high, but if you look at the amount we spend in educating a Filipino child it is even less than what the state spends in a public school. That’s why we are still more efficient," he added. Excerpts of the interview were posted on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site. Bañaga also said the Catholic schools that have high tuition rates comprise only a “small portion" of the total number of Catholic educational institutions. “If you go to the mission schools in rural areas, we have a lot of these Catholic schools that are struggling even to survive," he said. He said many school administrators are working for Catholic schools "even without a just a compensation for what they are doing." “It’s a missionary work for them… it’s a charitable work to educate these kids," he said. The CEAP has 1,194 members, including 30 universities, 101 graduate schools, 240 colleges, 1,070 high schools, 592 elementary and 596 pre-elementary schools. Some prominent Catholic schools include Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University, San Carlos University, St. Paul University and San Beda College. - VVP, GMA News