• Net income rises 18 percent to P1.08 billion in the first half
• Revenue grows 8 percent to P2.83 billion
• Enrollment declines as earlier public school opening drew students
• Tertiary programs and continuing students increase
STI Education Systems Holdings Inc., the country’s biggest chain of private schools, saw enrollments soften from record-high levels as some students shifted to public schools, although strong margins kept profits growing at a solid pace.
Total enrollment for school year 2025 to 2026 fell to 132,941 from 139,155 a year earlier, as public junior and senior high schools opened earlier. This allowed students to secure slots in the tuition-free system before private classes began.
Public schools offer free education under the K to 12 program, making them attractive to cost-conscious families as the Philippine economy grew at its slowest pace in 2025 since the pandemic.
First half profit soars past P1B
Despite the dip in headcount, STI reported net income of P1.08 billion in the first half ending December 2025, up 18 percent from P912.2 million a year earlier.
Gross revenues rose 8 percent to P2.83 billion from P2.63 billion, supported by stronger contributions from higher education programs and returning students.
Higher-value college enrollment rises
Tertiary enrollment edged up to 102,407 from 101,256, while students in Commission on Higher Education-regulated programs who remained within the STI network climbed 14 percent to 73,421 from 64,429 continuing students a year earlier.
Some campuses also posted gains despite the overall decline, with STI West Negros University in Bacolod City increasing enrollment 3 percent to 14,890, while the Philippine School of Business Administration recorded a 45 percent jump to 1,583 from 1,095.
Training the future workforce
Meanwhile, iACADEMY, which operates campuses in Makati and Cebu offering programs in computing, business and design, recorded 1,899 students this school year.
“STI Holdings stays committed to producing job-ready graduates by adopting specialized platforms for cybersecurity and computer-aided design for its Criminology and Information and Communication Technology programs, as well as Adobe Creative Cloud licenses for its Multimedia Arts program,” STI said.
“This initiative prepares students for industry-aligned certifications, aimed at further increasing competitiveness in the modern workforce,” it added.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
