1.  Declaration of Policy - It is declared policy of the State in conformity with the mandate of the Constitution, to promote and enhance the quality of education at all levels and to take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all.  The state also recognizes the invaluable contributions of the private institutions as well as their complementary role with public schools in the educational system. For the above purposes, the State shall provide resource generation mechanisms and institute deregulation techniques for school financing.

2.  General and Specific Provisions - In pursuance of Section 42 of Batas Pambansa 232 otherwise known as the Education Act of 1982, which states that each private school shall determine its rate of tuition and other school fees or charges, the following guidelines covering tuition and/or other fees in all levels including the pre-school and vocational/technical schools are hereby promulgated for school year 1993-1994.

2.1  School Fees for Elementary Schools, including Pre-Schools - Each elementary school, including pre-schools, may determine its own tuition and other school fee rates, and are not covered by consultation and other requirements set forth under Para. 3.2 below.

2.2  School Fees for Secondary Schools - Each secondary school shall determine its own tuition and other school fee rates, subject to the provisions set forth in Section 3.2 below, as well as the following conditions:

(a)        Where the tuition and other school fees are less than P1,900.00 per year during the school year 1992-1993, any high school may increase up to a maximum of P290.00 without the need of consultation.  However, should the school increase its fees by more than P290.00 for the coming school year, a school may determine its own tuition fee rates, subject however to consultation.

(b)        Where the tuition and other school fees are P1,900.00 or more, the amount of increase for the coming school year shall be determined by the school after consultation.

2.3  School Fees for Tertiary Schools - Each tertiary school, college or university, including vocational and technical schools, shall determine its own tuition and other school fees, subject to the conditions contained in Section 3.2 below.

(a)        Where the semestral per unit tuition rate is P80.00 or less for the school year 1992-1993, the school may increase up to a maximum of P12.00 per unit without the need of consultations.  However, should the school increase its tuition fees by more than P12.00 per unit for SY 1993-1994, the school may determine its own tuition fee increase, subject to consultations.

(b)        Where the semestral per unit tuition rate is more than P80.00 for the school year 1992-1993, the school shall determine its own tuition fee rate, subject to consultations.

3.      Documentation Required - All private schools, colleges and universities increasing their tuition and/or other school fees for the school year 1993-1994, shall submit, not later than June 15, 1993 the following documents for purposes of compliance with this Order:

3.1  Letter of advice to the appropriate DECS Regional Office, signed by the school head, indicating among others the school's intention to comply with the provisions of RA No. 6728 for the forthcoming SY 1993-94, where applicable;

3.2  A certification under oath signed by the school head that the following requirements of RA No. 6728 have been complied with, namely, that:

(a)        Appropriate consultations for the forthcoming SY 1993-94 have been conducted by the school administration (1) with duly organized parents and teachers associations and faculty associations, or their equivalents in the absence of such organizations, with respect to secondary schools, and (2) with students governments or councils, alumni and faculty associations, or their equivalents in the absence of such organizations, with respect to tertiary institutions;

(b)        Seventy percent (70%) of the amount subsidized allotted for tuition fee or of the tuition fee increase in SY 1992-93 went to the payment of salaries, wages, allowances and other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel except administrators who are principal stockholders of the school, including such increases as may have been provided for in collective bargaining agreements existing or in force at the time when R.A. 6728 was approved and made effective;

(c)        At least twenty percent (20%) went to the improvement or modernization of buildings, equipment, libraries, laboratories, gymnasia and similar facilities and to the payment of other costs of operations; and,

(d)        Full or half tuition waivers, or their equivalents, for five percent (5%) of incoming freshmen had been granted, or full or half tuition for all tertiary students in SY 1992-1993 had been provided, in cases of schools charging more than P80.00 per unit.

3.3  Schedule of tuition and other school fees for SY 1992-93, together with the corresponding school fees for SY 1993-94, indicating in both peso and percentage terms the increases.

4.      Consultation - In any proposed increase where the school shall be allowed to determine its own tuition and other school fees for the incoming school year, the school shall conduct appropriate consultations with the duly organized parents and teachers associations and faculty associations with respect to secondary schools, and with student governments or councils, alumni and faculty associations with respect to colleges. In the absence of such organizations, consultations shall be held with similar groups from such sectors.  For this purpose, audited financial statements shall be made available to authorized representatives of these sectors. Such consultations should be held whenever possible before the beginning of enrolment, and in any case before the opening of classes.  Every effort shall be exerted to reconcile possible differences.  In case of disagreement, the alumni association of the school or any other impartial body of their choosing shall act as arbitrator.  However, the school shall be allowed to collect the proposed increase but shall hold the amounts collected in escrow pending final settlement by the arbitrator.

5.      Government Tuition Fee Supplements - Financial assistance for tuition for students in private high schools and private colleges and universities shall be provided pursuant to RA No. 6728 as follows:

5.1. For students enrolled in high schools which charged less than one thousand nine hundred pesos (P1,900.00) per year in tuition and other school fees during school year 1992-1993, the government shall provide them with a voucher equal to two hundred ninety pesos (P290.00).

5.2. For students who have completed one academic year by June 1989 and are still enrolled 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 1992-1993, the government shall provide them with a voucher to cover the tuition increase up to twelve pesos (P12.00) per unit.

6.      Effectivity - This Order shall take effect immediately.  Any existing order, memorandum, or any section, sub-section or clause therein, which are inconsistent with these Guidelines, are deemed repealed or amended accordingly.

Adopted: 21 Apr. 1993

(Sgd.) ARMAND V. FABELLA
Secretary