Only nine out of 153 higher education institutions (HEIs) in Western Visayas applied for tuition and other school fees increase for academic year (AY) 2021-2022.
Commission on Higher Education 6 (CHED-6) regional director Maura Consolacion D. Cristobal said these HEIs were included in the consolidated result of the CHED-6 applications noted for tuition and other school fees increase for AY 2021-2022, submitted on August 2, 2022 to CHED central office.
Cristobal noted that they could not give other information in consideration of the data privacy and pending discussion in the Commission En Banc for further evaluation.
Cristobal added that no state universities and colleges applied for increase of tuition and other fees this school year.
Meanwhile, so far, CHED-6 has no exact data yet as to the total number of enrollees.
Cristobal said that the higher education management information system (HEMIS) unit’s data processing for academic year 2021-2022 is scheduled on October to November this year due to change of school year.
On the other hand, a joint memorandum between CHED and the Department of Health (DOH) issued last February allowed the conduct of face-to-face classes in selected programs, particularly those related to health, in areas under the two lighter community quarantine levels.
In Western Visayas, four colleges and universities were earlier given the green light by CHED to hold limited face-to-face classes in the second semester of AY 2020-2021.
These four are the following:
- West Visayas State University in La Paz district, Iloilo City;
- Central Philippine University in Jaro district;
- Iloilo Doctors’ College in Molo district; and
- Phinma University of Iloilo in the City Proper.
The conduct of limited face-to-face classes will be prioritized for select health-related degree programs such as medicine, nursing, medical technology/medical laboratory science, physical therapy, midwifery, and public health.
These colleges and universities passed stringent retrofitting and health standards set by the CHED, the DOH and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, according to CHED chairperson Prospero De Vera III.
Aside from these four tertiary schools, 20 more institutions of higher learning across the country were given the go-signal to conduct limited face-to-face classes. (Glenda Tayona)/WDJ