Miscellaneous fees used for cost of shift to flexible learning -CHED

The miscellaneous fees being collected by private higher education institutions will be used to cover the cost of shifting to flexible learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said on Wednesday.

During a Senate hearing, CHED Commissioner Prospero De Vera III said many parents and students had been wondering why fees for some services that can only be availed in face-to-face learning are still being collected by schools.

"Ang problem ngayon is not the application for tuition [hike] eh, it is the existing tuition and miscellaneous fees kasi hindi naintindihan ng mga magulang at mga estudyante ano 'yung basis ng nagbabayad pa sila kahit flexible na ang learning," he said.

"Ang hiniling ng private universities is to be allowed to reclassify 'yung existing miscellaneous fees nila and to use that money for the new cost associated with flexible learning," he added.

Flexible learning in higher education institutions can take the form of full online, combination of offline and online, or limited face-to-face classes—the last of which is seen to be allowed only by January.

De Vera said CHED already identified the costs associated with the shift to flexible learning and will blast the same to private universities to help them explain to the stakeholders that the miscellaneous fees being collected will be "used not for the original purpose but for adjustment [to] flexible learning."

Last week, Senator Imee Marcos urged the CHED to investigate why some schools still charged laboratory, library, internet, medical, dental, and energy fees as if regular classes will be held.

According to CHED, about 400 universities applied for tuition fee increases before the pandemic hit. However, only 89 pursued the application when CHED asked them to re-assess the situation.

"The 89 represents about five percent of all private universities and colleges. So kauti lang talaga ang nag-apply because the private universities also know that the students are hard up, that there are loss of jobs etc.," De Vera said.

"The tuition and miscellaneous fee increases are still being evaluated by our regional offices now," he added. -NB, GMA News