Free tuition program guidelines simplified

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has revised and simplified the implementing guidelines for the free tuition policy and assured that the program will be properly implemented.

CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan confirmed that the implementing guidelines for the free tuition policy was revised but noted that that the revisions that were discussed were quite minor.

“Some changes were made just in phrasing, both the Department of Budget and Management and CHED approved the guidelines and the revision of the guidelines,” Licuanan said.

She also noted that Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno already signed the revised guidelines Thursday morning.

According to the joint memorandum, the free tuition program will cover “all Filipino students enrolling in undergraduate course programs in SUCs for the academic year 2017-2018, subject to the prioritization directive of the President and the availability of funds.”

In December, Congress allotted P 8.3 billion to cover the tuition of around 1.8 million students in 113 state colleges and universities (SCUs) for school year 2017-2018.

Last April, CHED and the DBM jointly issued the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the free tuition program.

The guidelines, however, were heavily criticized by various youth groups.

The Kabataan Party-list, for one, described the promised tuition fee policy as ‘deceitful because “it shall be implemented conditionally to benefit the poor but deserving.”

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago said that based on the guidelines, all those who are under the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) program and recipients of Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs) are the priority.

The remaining students eligible will then be “ranked according to their per capita household income” which she noted is similar – in essence – to the controversial socialized tuition system (STS) implemented by the University of the Philippines (UP).

Licuanan, however, said that “prioritization of the poor is precisely the message of President Duterte and that was the addition to what the legislators wanted…they did not want to be specific about who would get it… they wanted everyone to get it.”

Also among those in the priority list are non-graduating students who belong to a household that is or was a beneficiary of 4Ps; non-graduating students who were never part of a household that is or was a beneficiary of 4Ps but is still included in the Listahanan 2.0, ranked according to their estimated per capita household income; and non-graduating students ranked according to their per capita household income based on submitted documentation(s) for proof of income.

CHED clarified that these students will be included in the priority list “subject to the availability of funding.”