1
General and Specific Provisions
As approved by the State Assistance Council (SAC) and in response to the needs and conditions peculiar to each region, the following guidelines covering tuition and other fees in all levels including the pre-school and vocational/technical schools are hereby promulgated for school year 1992-93.

a. Entering Freshmen^* - The tuition fee rates for entering freshmen in all levels (elementary), secondary, tertiary, pre-school and vocational/technical) may be determined by the school itself subject to consultation.  However, no consultation is required when the amount of increase will raise the tuition fee level to not more than P80.00 per unit for the tertiary  schools and up to P1,500.00 per year for the pre-elementary, elementary, secondary and voc-tech schools.

b. Upper Year Students - The tuition fee rates for upper year students in all levels should be subject to consultation.  Tuition fee increases should be determined on a regional basis and should not exceed the following inflation rates existing in the regions in December 1991:  (Source: National statistics Office).

Region I -

14.3%

  Region VIII -

12.1%

    Region II -

12.8%

  Region IX -

11.2%

    Region III -

13.7%

  Region X -

11.8%

    Region IV -

13.7%

  Region XI -

10.1%

    Region V -

12.9%

  Region XII -

9.7%

    Region VI -

12.4%

  CAR -

11.9%

    Region VII -

8.3%

  NCR -

13.1%

   

c. Schools classified as excellent or whose programs are classified as excellent are deregulated and may determine their own tuition fee rates subject to consultation.  Graduate programs, law and medicine are also deregulated and may determine their own tuition fee rates subject to consultation.

d. Other Fees - Schools in all levels may increase the rates of other fees without need of consultation if not more than ten percent (10%).  Consultation will be required for increases beyond ten (10%).

2
Supporting Documents

All applications for tuition or other fees increases must be submitted to the DECS Regional Office (DECSRO) for evaluation not later than April 30, 1992, together with the following documents.

a. A certification by the school head, properly notarized, stating (1) that the 70% share of tuition fee increases collected in school year 1991-92 was distributed to the teaching and non-teaching personnel in the form of salaries, wages, allowances and other benefits;  (2) that at least 20% was used for the improvement or modernization of buildings, equipment, libraries, laboratories, gymnasia, and similar facilities and other costs of operation in compliance with Section 5.2.c of R.A. 6728; and (3) that all applicable regional wage orders were implemented.

b. Schedule of tuition and other fees for school year 1991-92.

c. Schedule of proposed tuition and other fees for school year 1992-93.

d. Audited financial statements for two (2) consecutive years immediately preceding the current year.

Except as provided in the next paragraph, no school may collect any increase in tuition and/or other fees prior to DECSRO approval.

Schools classified as excellent shall submit to the DECS Regional Office (DECSRO) a notice of tuition and other fees rates for school year 1992-93 and a proof of consultation shall be submitted for excellent programs, graduate programs, law and medicine.  There is no need for application nor DECSRO approval.

3
Timetable

The following timetable shall be observed for the submission of applications and required documents, processing, filing of protests and appeals:

a. April 30, 1992^* - Last day of submission to DECSRO of all applications for tuition and other fees increases for all levels. Applications should be accompanied with all necessary supporting documents.

b. August 21, 1992 - Last day for submission of summarized reports by Regional Tuition Fee Task Force to the Central Office Tuition Fee Task Force.

c. August 31, 1992 -- Last day of filing of protests by parties concerned with DECSRO.

d. September 15, 1992 - Last day of filing of appeals with Central Office Tuition Fee Task Force.

4
Consultation

As defined in this Order, consultation shall mean a conference conducted by the school administration with duly organized parents-teachers association and faculty associations with respect to elementary and secondary schools and with student governments or councils, alumni and faculty associations with respect to tertiary schools as provided for in Section 10 of R.A. 6728.

a. The consultation process involves at least two weeks ™ notice to all the parties above-mentioned.  A meeting of all sectors is held during which views and positions and reactions to the proposed increase in tuition and other fees shall be discussed.  Every sincere effort shall be exerted to allow all sectors concerned to express themselves freely in order to arrive at an acceptable compromise.  However, consultation does not necessarily mean agreement.

b. In case of disagreement, parties involved may choose the alumni association of the school or any impartial body of their choice as arbiter.

c. Any of the parties in disagreement with the decision of the arbiter may elevate the decision to the Central Office which shall make the final decision.

5
Sanctions

a. In case of any violation of the provisions of these guidelines, DECS, upon recommendation of the Council, may bar the institution from participating in or benefiting from the programs of the Department without prejudice to the filing of administrative and criminal charges against the school and its responsible officers under existing laws.

b. Any school that shall refuse to furnish copies of its audited financial statements to concerned sectors in the process of consultation prior to tuition and other fees increases, shall forfeit its right to increase its tuition and other fees, in addition to other penalties or sanctions as may be imposed by DECS.

6
Government Tuition Fee
Supplements

Financial assistance for tuition for students in private high schools and private colleges and universities shall be provided by government as follows:

a. For students enrolled in high schools which charged less than one thousand five hundred pesos (P1,500.00) per year in tuition and other fees during school year 1991-1992, the government shall provide them with a voucher equal to two hundred ninety pesos (P290.00).^*

b. For students enrolled in their fifth year in priority courses as determined by DECS, in private colleges and universities that charged an effective per unit tuition rate of eighty pesos (P80.00) or less in school year 1991-1992, the government shall provide them with a voucher to cover the tuition increase, up to twelve pesos (P12.00) per unit.

7
Effectivity

This Order takes effect immediately and supersedes all other DECS issuances inconsistent herewith.

Adopted: 31 Jan. 1992

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^* See also DECS Order No. 44 on p. 526.