About 900,000 Filipino students are about to enjoy free tuition fee in 111 State Universities and Colleges starting June 2018 as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has finally released the new impementing rules and regulations (IRR).
Moreover, students belonging to the poorest family may get additional financial assistance aside from their free education. Of course, the government will verify first who will be qualified but it is reported that 500,000 students will receive the conditional cash transfer. Based on the news, qualified students can claim as much as 4,000 pesos weekly allowance to help them with their daily expenses.
Moreover, students belonging to the poorest family may get additional financial assistance aside from their free education. Of course, the government will verify first who will be qualified but it is reported that 500,000 students will receive the conditional cash transfer. Based on the news, qualified students can claim as much as 4,000 pesos weekly allowance to help them with their daily expenses.
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CHED is already working on the implementing rules and regulation so it will all be ready by June 2018, just in time for the school season. Comm. Prospero De Vera said students who enrolled in state colleges and universities will not only get free tuition but also miscellaneous fees. In exchange, students are required to finish their course as scheduled.
In addition, students, rich or poor, with high grades or not, can avail the free tuition from the government as long as they enroll in the 112 state universities and colleges in the country. Moreover, students belonging to the poorest family may get additional financial assistance aside from their free education. Of course, the government will verify first who will be qualified but it is reported that 500,000 students will receive the conditional cash transfer. Based on the news, qualified students can claim as much as 4,000 pesos weekly allowance to help them with their daily expenses.
In addition, students, rich or poor, with high grades or not, can avail the free tuition from the government as long as they enroll in the 112 state universities and colleges in the country. Moreover, students belonging to the poorest family may get additional financial assistance aside from their free education. Of course, the government will verify first who will be qualified but it is reported that 500,000 students will receive the conditional cash transfer. Based on the news, qualified students can claim as much as 4,000 pesos weekly allowance to help them with their daily expenses.
Newly appointed Commission on Higher Education (CHED) officer-in-charge (OIC) Prospero de Vera III promised to finish the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the free tuition law by next week.
“My commitment is that by February 22, we would finish it and have it signed and put it out publicly after that,” said De Vera on the sidelines of the first Philippines-United Kingdom Transnational Education Conference and Education Fair held on Friday, February 16.
He acknowledged several sectors have expressed their “impatience” over the delay in the publishing of the IRR, which former CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan said was ready for signing as December 5, 2017.
But De Vera, who was appointed as OIC after Licuanan’s resignation last month, said CHED is still ironing out several provisions in the IRR.
He explained it takes time to finish such provisions because Republic Act No. 10931 is a “complicated” law, which no other developing country in Asia has implemented before.
“My answer is, first, it’s a rather complicated law. We’ve never tried it. No developing country in the region has tried it. And so, a lot of the things that we’re intending to do, we’re starting essentially from scratch,” said De Vera.
One tricky set of guidelines involves the national student loan program. De Vera said the provisions are difficult to craft given the bad track record of Filipino students in paying off their loans.
CHED on their social media page had published their official statement that reads:
FREE TUITION FOR STUDENTS IN FULL SWING
“My commitment is that by February 22, we would finish it and have it signed and put it out publicly after that,” said De Vera on the sidelines of the first Philippines-United Kingdom Transnational Education Conference and Education Fair held on Friday, February 16.
He acknowledged several sectors have expressed their “impatience” over the delay in the publishing of the IRR, which former CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan said was ready for signing as December 5, 2017.
But De Vera, who was appointed as OIC after Licuanan’s resignation last month, said CHED is still ironing out several provisions in the IRR.
He explained it takes time to finish such provisions because Republic Act No. 10931 is a “complicated” law, which no other developing country in Asia has implemented before.
“My answer is, first, it’s a rather complicated law. We’ve never tried it. No developing country in the region has tried it. And so, a lot of the things that we’re intending to do, we’re starting essentially from scratch,” said De Vera.
One tricky set of guidelines involves the national student loan program. De Vera said the provisions are difficult to craft given the bad track record of Filipino students in paying off their loans.
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FREE TUITION FOR STUDENTS IN FULL SWING
Close to 900,000 students in 111 state universities and colleges (SUCs) are enjoying free tuition since June 2017 through the P8.3 Billion realigned by Congress and approved by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in the General Appropriations Act.
Under the 2017 GAA, P8B was given to CHED to reimburse SUCs so they will not collect tuition fees from their students. P300M was allocated to provide free tuition to medical students in 8 SUCs offering medicine like UP Manila, Mariano Marcos State University, University of Northern Philippines, Cagayan State University, Bicol University, West Visayas State University, UP School of Health Sciences in Leyte, and Mindanao State University.
The CHED has downloaded almost P3 billion of the P8B reimbursement to almost all SUCs as of February 2018.
This sum covers Free Tuition granted to 888,799 enrolled students in 111 SUCs in the First Semester of SY 2017-2018. A similar number of students is expected to benefit from Free Tuition in the Second Semester of SY 2017-2018 and paid out of the remaining sum of the P8 Billion.
Almost all of the 112 SUCs have received their financial reimbursements for Free Tuition 2017 based on their Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing submitted to the DBM in 2016. Only two SUCs – Tawi Tawi Regional Agricultural College and Romblon State University – have not received their reimbursement for failure to submit necessary documents in compliance with the Joint Guidelines issued by the DBM and CHED in 2017.
CHED is currently processing billings for payment to all SUCs for their Second Semester enrolment and have advised all SUCs to submit complete requirements on or before February 19, 2018 to expedite payment to them.
On August 3, 2017, President Duterte signed into law RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Higher Education Act to free students enrolled in SUCs and local government created universities and colleges (LUCs) who pass CHED evaluation from paying tuition and miscellaneous fees. Additional stipends will also be provided to poor students for their tertiary education. Congress has allocated P40 Billion in the 2018 General Appropriations Act for this landmark law.
The UniFAST Board will soon publish the enhanced Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10931 to fully implement this law which includes Free Higher Education, Free TVET, Tertiary Education Subsidy, and the Student Loan Program.
(signed)
J. Prospero E. De Vera III, DPA
Officer-in-Charge and Spokesperson
Commission on Higher Education
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Under the 2017 GAA, P8B was given to CHED to reimburse SUCs so they will not collect tuition fees from their students. P300M was allocated to provide free tuition to medical students in 8 SUCs offering medicine like UP Manila, Mariano Marcos State University, University of Northern Philippines, Cagayan State University, Bicol University, West Visayas State University, UP School of Health Sciences in Leyte, and Mindanao State University.
The CHED has downloaded almost P3 billion of the P8B reimbursement to almost all SUCs as of February 2018.
This sum covers Free Tuition granted to 888,799 enrolled students in 111 SUCs in the First Semester of SY 2017-2018. A similar number of students is expected to benefit from Free Tuition in the Second Semester of SY 2017-2018 and paid out of the remaining sum of the P8 Billion.
Almost all of the 112 SUCs have received their financial reimbursements for Free Tuition 2017 based on their Budget of Expenditures and Sources of Financing submitted to the DBM in 2016. Only two SUCs – Tawi Tawi Regional Agricultural College and Romblon State University – have not received their reimbursement for failure to submit necessary documents in compliance with the Joint Guidelines issued by the DBM and CHED in 2017.
CHED is currently processing billings for payment to all SUCs for their Second Semester enrolment and have advised all SUCs to submit complete requirements on or before February 19, 2018 to expedite payment to them.
On August 3, 2017, President Duterte signed into law RA 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Higher Education Act to free students enrolled in SUCs and local government created universities and colleges (LUCs) who pass CHED evaluation from paying tuition and miscellaneous fees. Additional stipends will also be provided to poor students for their tertiary education. Congress has allocated P40 Billion in the 2018 General Appropriations Act for this landmark law.
The UniFAST Board will soon publish the enhanced Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10931 to fully implement this law which includes Free Higher Education, Free TVET, Tertiary Education Subsidy, and the Student Loan Program.
(signed)
J. Prospero E. De Vera III, DPA
Officer-in-Charge and Spokesperson
Commission on Higher Education
Read More:
Is It True, Duterte Might Expand Overseas Workers Deployment Ban To Countries With Many Cases of Abuse?
Do You Agree With The Proposed Filipino Deployment Ban To Abusive Host Countries?
Body Of Household Worker Found Inside A Freezer In Kuwait; Confirmed Filipina
Senate Approves Bill For Free OFW Handbook
Overseas Filipinos In Qatar Losing Jobs Amid Diplomatic Crisis—DOLE
How To Get Philippine International Driving Permit (PIDP)
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