The Commision on Higher Education (CHED) announced on Wednesday the requirement for students who benefited from the free college tuition law to render ‘return service’ in the Philippines after graduation.
CHED OIC Prospero de Vera III said that the move aims to give value to the taxpayers’ money that supported the students’ education.
“It is just putting value to the subsidy that taxpayers are giving… Meaning totoong ‘Iskolar ng Bayan’ ka na ngayon. Kasi ang nagpapaaral sa ‘yo ang bayan. Hindi ba tama lamang na magbalik ka naman ng konti sa bayan?” de Vera told GMA News.
De Vera said that students will be required to work in the Philippines for a certain period after graduation.
Lawmakers from Kabataan Partylist slammed the requirement and questioned the students’ need to render service to be able to acquire free education.
“‘Yung free higher education, it’s a right and a state obligation. Hindi siya dapat na may kapalit,” Kabataan Representative Sarah Elago said.
In August 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act that enables students of state universities and colleges (SUCs), CHED-accredited local universities and colleges, and TESDA-accredited institutions to study without paying for their tuition fees and miscellaneous fees.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) provided P40 billion to shoulder tuition fees of more than 1.4 million college students.
De Vera said that applicants only need to pass a free admission test to avail of the free education assistance.
“Basta natanggap ka na, libre ka na. Ang kailangan lang, unang kurso mo ‘yun at tapusin mo doon sa takdang panahon,” he declared.
The list of the schools with free tuition can be accessed here.
