Country: Philippines                          
Title:    Guidelines and School Fees Pursuant to the "Government
          Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education
          Act"
Author:            Lourdes R. . Quisumbing, Secretary, DECs.  
Institution:       Department of Education, Culture and Sports
Citations:         DECS Order No. 55, s. 1989 and Decs order No. 46,
                   s. 1989.  
Descriptors:       Fees; Financial support; Private education.  
Full text: 3.       Policy on Tuition Rates and Increases:  All
  private schools, colleges and universities shall determine, at all
  levels, (pre-elementary, elementary, secondary and tertiary) the
  rate of their school fees and/or increases, subject to the
  conditions and requirements set forth in these Guidelines.

       a.  For Enrolling Freshmen in private Schools:

         The tuition rates for entering freshmen in all private
  schools, colleges and unviersities, may be determined by the school
  itself, after appropriate consultation with parents, students,
  faculty and alumni associations of the schools.

       b.  For Non-accredited Schools:

         (1)  Schools, colleges and universities charging an
  effective per unit tuition rate of more than Eighty Pesos (Ps80.00)
  as of SY 1988-89 or such amount in subsequent years as may be
  determined from time to time, by the State Assistance Council can
  determine their tuition rates, after consultation with student
  governments or councils, faculty and alumni associations of the
  school.

         (2)  Those charging an effective per unit tuition rate of
  Eighty Pesos (Ps80.00) or less as of SY 1988-89 or such amount in
  subsequent years as may be determined from time to time by the
  State Assistance Council shall not increase their tuition fees by
  more than Twelve Pesos (Ps12.00) per unit, for both priority and
  non-priority programs without need of a consultation.

       c.  For Accredited Schools in All Levels:

         (1)  Any school with accredited programs charging a tuition
  rate of less than Eighty Pesos (Ps80.00) per unit as of SY 1988-89
  or such amount in subsequent years as may a be determined from time
  to time by the State Assistance Council may continue to determine
  their tuition rates after consultation with duly organized
  parents-teachers or faculty associations with respect to secondary
  schools, and with student governments or councils, alumni and
  faculty associations with respect to colleges.

         (2)  All non-freshmen students in priority courses will be
  entitled to a voucher equivalent to the tuition increase but not
  beyond Ps 12.00 per unit.

         (3)  Accredited schools refer to those which have accredited
  programs or are applying for accreditation, and determined by the
  Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP),
  namely, the Philippine Association of Accredited Schools, Colleges
  and Universities (PAASCU), the Association of Christian Schools and
  Colleges Accrediting Agencies (ACSCAA), and the Philippine
  Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on
  Accreditation (PACUCA).

  4.       Allocation of Tuition Supplements or Increases in Tuition:

       a.  Every school shall allocate at least seventy percent (70
  percent) of the amount subsidized for tuition fee or of the tuition
  fee increases, for the payment of salaries, wages, allowance and
  other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel, except
  administrators who are principal stockholders of the schools, and
  may be used to cover legislated increases or as provided for in
  collective bargaining agreements existing or in force at the time
  of the effectivity of Republic Act 6728.

      b.  At least twenty (20 percent) percent of the tuition
  supplements or of the tuition fee increases, shall be allocated
  towards the improvement or modernization of buildings, equipment,
  libraries, laboratories, gymnasia and similar facilities, and to
  the payment of other cost of operation.