House Assistant Majority Leader and Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles yesterday appealed to the country’s colleges and universities not to aggravate the burdens of parents whose children were barely coping with the spiraling cost of tertiary education by prescribing scandalously expensive textbooks.

“We have seen the green light given to educational institutions to increase tuition fees. Now, schools are compelling students to use books priced way beyond their parents’ means. This is completely unacceptable,” Nograles lamented.

“I received reports that some books being required in a psychology subject in one school are priced at P10,000 each. Can you imagine the financial trauma that parents undergo if students would need two or three books within that price range?” Nograles asked.

The lawmaker could not help suspecting a collusion between the schools and book suppliers.

“I am confident that private higher education institutions look into the matter and review their respective programs/curriculum and explore alternatives that could help unburden parents,” Nograles said.

He also asked the Ched to look into the matter.

“I am confident alternatives (to high-priced books) can be found,” Nograles said, stressing that using books beyond the reach of the masses is hurting government’s human development programs.