Gatchalian: Lower fund for higher education programs affects thousands of students

Senator Win Gatchalian will seek additional funding for next year's higher education programs to ensure that qualified students will not be deprived of free college education and financial assistance.

During the Senate Committee on Finance's hearing on the proposed budgets of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), CHED Chairperson J. Prospero De Vera III reported that around 379,000 qualified Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) applicants were not covered due to lack of funding, 226,000 of which are enrolled in private schools and run the risk of not being able to study anymore. The CHED Chairperson said that over P10 billion is needed to cover these 226,000 students. For Academic Year 2022-2023, there are also no funds for new TES grantees.

The TES provides additional funding for education-related costs, including books, transportation, board and lodging, and allowances for disability-related expenses, among others.

De Vera also said that there are no funds allotted for new TES grantees for "Listahanan 2.0" for Academic Year 2023-2024. Listahanan 2.0 is an information management system that identifies the poor families and where they are located.

"I'm with you in making sure that our students are studying and that the spirit of the free higher education law is being faithfully implemented. Unfortunately, we are depriving 226,000 students of education because the government did not allocate more funding," Gatchalian told CHED.

The lawmaker also assured CHED that he will help secure funds that will allow six new CHED-recognized Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) to avail of free tuition. The CHED noted that while these six LUCs are already institutionally accredited, they are currently not assured of reimbursements for tuition and miscellaneous fees. A budget of P200 million is needed so that an estimated 17,000 students enrolled in these six LGUs can avail of free higher education.

Gatchalian is a co-author and co-sponsor of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931) or Free Higher Education Act, which exempts college students enrolled in SUCs and qualified LUCs from paying tuition and miscellaneous fees.

Libu-libong mag-aaral apektado sa mababang pondo ng higher education - Gatchalian

Pagsisikapan ni Senador Win Gatchalian na madagdagan ang pondo para sa mga programa ng higher education sa susunod na taon upang hindi mapagkaitan ng libreng edukasyon at tulong pinansyal ang mga kwalipikadong mag-aaral.

Sa naging pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Finance sa panukalang pondo ng Commission on Higher Education (CHED) at State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), ibinahagi ni CHED Chairperson J. Prospero De Vera III na may humigit kumulang na 379,000 na mga kwalipikadong aplikante ng Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) ang hindi nakatanggap ng tulong pinansyal dahil sa kakulangan ng pondo. Mahigit dalawang daan o 226,000 rito ang naka-enroll sa mga pribadong paaralan at nanganganib na matigil sa pag-aaral. Sinabi rin ni De Vera na mahigit sampung bilyong piso ang kailangan upang mapondohan ang 226,000 na bilang ng mga mag-aaral. Ang TES ay nagsisilibing tulong pinansyal sa mga gastusing may kinalaman sa edukasyon, kabilang ang mga aklat, transportasyon, board and lodging, at allowances sa mga disability-related expenses.

Sinabi pa ng CHED chairman na wala ring pondong nakalaan sa mga benepisyaryo ng TES sa ilalim ng "Listahan 2.0" sa Academic Year 2023-2024. Ang Listahan 2.0 ay isang information management system kung saan nakatala ang mga pinakamahirap na pamilya at kung saan sila matatagpuan.

"Kaisa ninyo ako sa pagtiyak na ang ating mga mag-aaral ay nakakapag-aral at ang diwa ng free higher education law ay ganap na ipinatutupad. Sa kasamang palad, 226,000 na mga mag-aaral ang napagkakaitan ng edukasyon dahil hindi nakapaglaan ng dagdag na pondo ang pamahalaan," pahayag ni Gatchalian.

Gayunpaman, tiniyak ni Gatchalian sa CHED na tutulungan niya ang ahensyang magkaroon ng sapat na pondo para sa libreng kolehiyo ng anim na Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) na kamakailan ay pinagkalooban ng institutional accreditation. Bagama't pormal nang nabigyan ng accreditation ang mga LUCs na ito, nababahala ang CHED na walang tiyak na pondo para sa reimbursement ng tuition and miscellaneous fees. Kinakailangan ang 200 milyong piso upang makatanggap ng libreng kolehiyo ang tinatayang 17,000 mga mag-aaral sa mga LUCs na ito.

Isa si Gatchalian sa mga may akda at co-sponsor ng Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931) o ang Free Higher Education Act, kung saan nakasaad na ang mga mag-aaral sa SUCs at LUCs ay hindi na magbabayad ng tuition at miscellaneous fees.