Are schools required to increase teachers' salaries when they increase tuition?

ONE of the recurring questions I receive whenever I speak before school administrators, especially those in charge of the schools' human resources and personnel management, is, "Is an increase in the salaries of school personnel automatic when there is an increase in tuition?"

The relevant law on this matter is Republic Act 6728, the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act, or simply the GASTPE Act. Section 5 of the law allows private educational institutions to raise tuition under the condition that at least 70 percent of the increase shall be disbursed as salaries, wages, allowances and other benefits for teaching and non-teaching personnel, and at least 20 percent shall go to the improvement or modernization of buildings, equipment, laboratories and other facilities. Please note, however, that the coverage of the law is on increases in tuition and does not include proceeds from increases in miscellaneous and other school fees, as these are specifically earmarked for certain services of the school and are subject to relevant issuances of the DepEd and CHEd for reasonable regulation.

THE LEGAL MIND