THE 19th Davao City Council, through a resolution, is requesting schools and universities in the city to defer the increase in tuition for the school year 2020 to 2021.
Councilor Louie John Bonguyan, proponent of the resolution, said Tuesday, May 19, that the item aims to help students and their families who are currently struggling with the pandemic effect of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
"Due to the current pandemic, Filipinos have been struggling with their daily lives including the possibility of loss of employment, income and subsequent difficulty to support their respective families," Bonguyan said.
He said the deferment of any tuition increase would be helpful to ordinary Filipinos.
Different groups and education advocates have been urging schools and universities to reconsider the tuition as a way of helping their student's financial woes amid the Covid-19.
Department of Education-Davao Region (DepEd-Davao) spokesperson Jenielito Atillo said the central office has no order yet on any halting of the tuition and miscellaneous fee increase.
"There's a specific regulation in our manual operations for private schools kabahin sa tuition and other fees. (However), there's no law that states na bawal mag-increase karon og tuition especially now that we have to be clear about the fact na medyo naa sa situation nga galisod pud ang mga private schools sa kasamtangan (There's a specific regulation in our manual operations for private schools regarding the tuition and other fees. However, there's no law that states that schools cannot increase their tuition, considering they are also struggling with their operations as of now)," Atillo said in a virtual presser on One Davao on Covid-19 on Wednesday afternoon, May 20.
Atillo added Education Secretary Leonor Briones has not given an order about the proposed measure.
He also said deferring the tuition increase might lead to the possibility of teachers leaving for other employment.
But Atillo said the agency respects the action taken by the City Council.
In a recent report, Ateneo de Davao University has opted to discontinue its planned increase in tuition and fees for the school year 2020 to 2021.
