Hindi lahat matatanggap sa public HEIs

Sa gitna ng mga batikos sa implementasyon ng batas sa libreng kolehiyo, iginiit ng mga pampublikong higher education institutions (HEIs) na kailangan pa rin ang “relatively stricter” admission policies para matiyak ang de-kalidad na tertiary education.

Para kay Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) President Dr. Tirso Ronquillo, mayroong “academic freedom” ang public HEIs na magtakda ng admission policies upang matiyak ang de kalidad na edukasyon. “We cannot accept beyond our capacity,” aniya.

Sa idinaos na Nationwide Information Caravan for Republic Act No. 10931 o “Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act” sa Batangas City Convention Center kamakailan, ipinaliwanag ni Ronquillo ang rationale sa likod ng “stringent admission policies” sa public HEIs na sakop ng batas sa libreng kolehiyo.

“It still depends on our capacity, the number of our classrooms, and number of our teachers,” katwiran ni Ronquillo, president ng Batangas State University at miyembro ng Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Governing Board.

Binanggit ni Ronquillo na hindi maaaring tumanggap ang public HEIs ng higit sa kanilang kapasidad ng enrolees. “If we will accept students beyond our capacity, the school will suffer,” diin niya. At kahit magdagdag pa ng night classes para matanggap ang mas maraming estudyante, “the issue of safety and security will have to be considered.”

Samantala, sinabi ni UniFAST Officerin-Charge Executive Director Atty. Carmelita Yadao-Sison na ang RA 10931 ay nagkakaloob ng “many options to Filipino learners” at hindi lamang sa higher education.

“They can take Free TVET first [since] we have that we call the ‘Ladderized Program’ in education [so] they can TVET first, gain a competency or a skill, get a job, then go back to college,” aniya. “There is also the option of going to a private school.”