PIA Press Release

Monday, May 30, 2011

DepEd and CHED to give public briefing on universal
kindergarten, education issues
by Gideon M Gapayao
Manila, May 30 (PIA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) has announced the implementation of universal
kindergarten through DepEd Order 37 of 2011 dated May 4 in order to meet President Benigno Aquino IIIs 2015
Millennium Development Goal for Education aiming to include free and compulsory kindergarten in the basic
education cycle.
The DepEd partnered with the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) in its aim to reach five-year old children in the poor households and to prepare them for
primary grades through the implementation of Universal Kindergarten.
DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali will talk about this and other education-related issues, together with
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Patricia Licuanan in tomorrows Communication and News
Exchange Forum (CNEX) and Talking Points sponsored by the Presidential Communications Operations Office and
the Philippine Information Agency. This will be aired over DZRB Radyo ng Bayan and PTV-4 on May 31 from 10-
11AM. (PND GGPIA-GHQ)
PIA Press Release
Monday, May 30, 2011
CHED to tackle tuition fee hikes, other issues
by Gideon M Gapayao
MANILA, May 30 (PIA) -- Commission on Higher Education (CHED)Chairman Patricia Licuanan along with
Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali shall clarify matters regarding the increases in
tuition fee on DZRB Radyo ng Bayan and PTV 4s Talking Points and Communication and News Exchange Forum
(CNEX) on Tuesday 10-11AM.
CHED and DepEd have been questioned by youth groups and students for the drastic tuition fee hikes for the 2011-
2012 academic year.
CHED announced that 281 private colleges and universities will increase their tuition fees by an average of 12
percent.
The DepEd allowed 168 private elementary and secondary schools to increase their tuition fees
from a range of five (5) to 20 percent. In the case of universities and colleges which have not increased their
tuition fees, some school administrations opt to raise their miscellaneous fees in order to collect more funds.
Despite the said tuition fee hikes, enrolment rates have increased from 2,636,007 last year to to 2,660,963
enrolees for school year 2011-2012.
Chairman Licuanan will be given the opportunity to address these issues together DepEd Assistant Secretary
Tonisito Umali during the hour-long program.
Talking Points and CNEX are sponsored by the Presidential Communications and Operations Office and the
Philippine Information Agency. (PND GPIA-GHQ)

PIA Press Release

Tuesday, May 31, 2011
No tuition fee increase for state universities and colleges
in SY 2011-2012
by Gideon M. Gapayao
MANILA, May 31 (PIA)-There will be no tuition fee increases in State Colleges and Universities (SUC) this coming
school year.
This was the assurance made by Chairperson Patricia Licuanan of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
during a media briefing this morning.
Dr. Licuanan said that an agreement was reached last year between CHED and the Philippine Association of State
Universities and Colleges (PASUC) officials that SUCs will not increase their tuition fees in SY 2011-2012.
Negotiations were held in 2010 when SUCs suffered some budget cuts, she said. "We made a deal that there will
be no increase in tuition fee this school year. And they promised.
Dr. Licuanan, however, made the assurance that CHED follows up on reports of SUC tuition increases. "Everytime
something comes out that this SUC raised tuition, we check, she said. "And so far, what we have seen is that they
have stuck to their end of the bargain.
CHED and SUV budgets were reduced "quite a bit in the last budget round, even as the budget for the Department
of Education (DepEd) was raised "very significantly, said Dr. Licuanan. She said this was understandable because
government has to invest more resources in basic education at this time.
Dr. Licuanan and Atty. Tonisito Umali, DepEd spokesperson were guests at the Communication and News Exchange
Forum (CNEX)/Talking Points sponsored by the Philippine Information Agency in cooperation with the Philippine
Communications Operations Office. (PND GGPIA-GHQ)

PIA Press Release

Tuesday, May 31, 2011
CHED to encourage state schools to engage in income
generating projects
by Gideon M. Gapayao
MANILA, May 31 (PIA) - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will encourage state universities and
colleges (SUC) to engage in "income generating projects (IGPs) to augment their budget, as government budget
allocation for higher education was reduced last year.
"These are hard times all around and government is really tightening its belt. I understand why we cannot give a
bigger budget to higher education, CHED Chairperson Dr. Patricia Licuanan said. "So what is the solution since
higher education is obviously very important?
"We have realized (and CHED is moving onto this), that SUCs have a lot of assets but they dont know how to use
this well, she said. "We are undertaking a project where we will have an inventory of the assets of SUCs, then we
will get experts to help these SUCs develop these assets so they can be a bit more economically sustainable
institution.
Dr. Licuanan was guest, together with Atty. Tonisito Umali, Department of Education spokesperson at the
Communication and News Exchange Forum (CNEX)/Talking Points sponsored by the Philippine Information Agency
in cooperation with the Philippine Communications Operations Office.
She said that SUCs cannot rely anymore totally on government. In fact, some SUCs already have income-
generating projects, and they are allowed to use this income for their own operation, she added.
Thus, CHED wants this strategy to be adopted by other SUVs. She said that the CHED wants that the opportunity
to go into IGPs are distributed, and not only limited to those that have entrepreneurial skills. "We want to help
everybody at the same time, she said.
Licuanan, however, admitted that there is currently no definite system in place yet to monitor the funds, which
may be misused by some SUCs. She said that this will be very much the responsibility of the board of regents.
CHED sits in the said body.
"Its a double-edged sword, she said. "We have to watch out for that. (PND GGPIA-GHQ)