Ceiling will be set on college fee increases

THE Education Minister will have the authority to set a ceiling on fee increases at private universities, if a bill submitted to the Plenum next week is passed into law.

Furthermore, the bill states that universities will have the right to apply for increases above the specified amount, if a specially-appointed committee decides it will improve the quality of the education offered by the university.

At present, private universities charge around 9,000 euros a year for an undergraduate degree with increases each year of five per cent.

The House Education Committee yesterday wrapped up discussions on the much-debated bill, which has taken three years of debate, one failed bill and countless student demonstrations, Committee Chairman, DISY’s Nicos Tornaritis said after the meeting.

“The Committee concluded that the bill will be sent to the plenum next Thursday, with one small amendment that was a result of today’s discussions,” Tornaritis explained. “After seeking the advice of the Legal Services and taking into consideration the objections by private universities, it was decided that the Education Minister will be able to examine applications to exceed the amount specified, if it is deemed that it will improve the quality of services offered by the university.”

He said a special committee would be appointed to examine the applications and reach conclusions, before informing the Minister for his final seal of approval.

The ceiling, said Tornaritis, will be announced in June every year.

A bill submitted by the Ministry three years ago was deemed a failure by MPs as it effectively led to unjustifiable annual increases in fees.

DIKO’s Athena Kyriakidou explained that this was down to a provision that offered private universities the right to increase their fees by five per cent every year. Though it was never a precondition that such increases had to take place, the universities would increase the fees each year.

“We saw every year, without reason or substantiation, a five per cent increase,” said Kyriakidou. “We saw the students’ reactions and are trying to cover this loophole.

“We need a regulation that stops this annual increases in fees, which aren’t always justified.”

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