State colleges, universities in Caraga hike tuition

BUTUAN CITY — Claiming prices have increased, a Commission on Higher Education (CHED) official in Caraga region on Thursday admitted almost all state colleges and universities there have increased their tuition and other school fees. In an interview with GMA News, Julius Sol Jamero, Chief Administrative Officer of CHED-Caraga, said the recent cuts in the annual budgets for state colleges and universities have forced these institutions to raise tuition. “Besides, the CHED has limited role in determining adjustments in tuition and other fees because much of the decision to do so depends on the results of consultations with parents and students", Jamero said. Commenting on a CHED-Caraga circular requiring all state colleges and universities to initiate income-generating projects, Jamero said almost all state colleges and universities in the region have long been doing IGPs. “Kulang na lang magtinda ng kung anu-ano na lang sa palengke para may extra income," Jamero added. However, he did not indicate how much tuition increase will be collected in the coming school years by each institution as the CHED has not say the rates adjustment. In a separate interview, an officer of the Office of the Registrar of the Caraga State University (CSU) said the school hiked tuition of incoming freshmen for the School Year 2011-2012. A freshman at the CSU taking Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSIT) has to pay over P10,000 in tuition and other fees, more than double last year's rate of P4,000 in total fees. There are 14 state colleges and universities in four provinces and four cities of the region. Earlier, CHED-Caraga announced that nine private colleges and universities were given go-signal hike their tuition. Private colleges and universities CHED-Caraga has allowed to hike their tuition are:

In Butuan City
• Fr. Saturnino Urios University (FSSU),
• St. Joseph Institute of Technology (SJIT), and
• Asian College Foundation In Agusan
• Agusan del Sur Colleges in Bayugan City in Agusan del Sur, and
• New Northern Mindanao Colleges in Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte. Surigao City
• STI-College, and
• Surigao Education Center Bislig City in Surigao Sur
• De la Salle John Bosco College, and
• Southern Technological Institute of the Philippines