Dropout rate in universities, colleges at 35.15% in SY 2023-2024, says CHEd

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The projected attrition rate — or the number of students who dropped out — in universities and colleges in the school year 2023 to 2024 is currently at 35.15 percent, slightly lower than the 40.98 percent the previous year, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) said Monday.

CHEd chair Prospero de Vera III made the pronouncement during the Senate deliberations on the proposed 2024 budget of CHEd, where Senator Sherwin Gatchalian pointed out the increasing attrition rate in universities and colleges.

According to Gatchalian, universities and colleges had an attrition rate of 15.90 percent in the school year (SY) 2020 to 2021, but jumped to 37.79 in SY 2021 to 2022 then further to 40.98 percent in SY 2022 to 2023.

However, De Vera clarified that the rate has begun to decrease, with CHEd projecting a 35.15 attrition rate in SY 2023 to 2024.

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“The projected attrition rate has gone down to 35.15 already, so it’s starting to go down in the post-COVID period,” said De Vera.

When asked by Gatchalian about the cause of the spike in attrition, De Vera responded that one of the reasons was most likely due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“One is really the effect of COVID-19 especially in private schools talagang marami pong tumigil mag aral noong panahon ng COVID dahil families couldn’t pay for the tuition,” said De Vera.

(One is really the effect of COVID-19 especially in private schools, many people stopped studying during the time of COVID because families couldn’t pay for the tuition.)

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De Vera also cited the increasing cost of living, explaining that in the subsidies CHEd offers to students — which is granted to students who pass a certain test — the number of test takers doubles the ones who actually pass it.

“It is possible that there are many who are not test grantees who also need assistance and are not getting it,” said De Vera.

“The cost of living has really gone up especially in many areas and it is possible that we may have to review the needs of our students in our universities,” he added.

JMS