Almost 55,000 private school students received P5K cash aid amid pandemic — CHED

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 55,000 private school students with unpaid tuition fees have received financial assistance under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has said.

In its January 12 update, CHED said P5,000 was provided to 54, 761 private school students in line with the Bayanihan 2 for Higher Education Tulong Program (B2HELP) implemented by the agency.

B2HELP was implemented by CHED as part of the Bayanihan 2 where P300 million funding is allocated to help grant affected students cash assistance to aid in paying the remaining balance in school fees as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.

“As instructed by President Duterte to immediately implement the Bayanihan 2 amelioration programs, CHED has released close to P300 million to 927 private schools to reduce the unpaid tuition and miscellaneous fees of their students so they can continue their studies,” CHED chairman Prospero de Vera said in a statement.

During the start of the program in November last year, private schools were tasked to submit a list of students with unpaid tuition and miscellaneous fees to the CHED Regional Office.

School Year 2020-2021 opened last October and utilized distance learning, a combination of online and modular learning, as campuses stay closed and physical classes remain suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — Zac Sarao, INQUIRER.net trainee