Free tuition in SUCs starting next school year, says Legarda

The Commission on Higher Education will get an additional P8-billion fund under the P3.35-trillion 2017 national budget that will allow the subdisidy of tuition. (Photo from the COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION)

Starting 2017, tuition will be free in all state colleges and universities across the country as the government has allocated an additional P8-billion fund for the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) under the P3.35-trillion 2017 national budget.

In a statement issued on Friday, Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said: “All students who will enroll in any state university and college in the country will no longer pay tuition strting next school year.”

“One of the long-standing concerns of poor families is bringing their children to college because, after finishing high school in public schools, most of them have no means to pay for tuition fee in SUCs,” she siad. “The 2017 national budget addresses this concern.”

Students will, however, still have to pay miscellaneous and other fees.

Legarda said indigents could still apply for grants and aids to get full subsidy for all their school expenses.

Programs that may provide this additional coverage are the Expanded Students’ Grants in Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation, which are available to families covered by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Students outside the PPP Program may also seek assistance under the Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs) under Ched and SUCs, for which the 2017 budget has a separate funding of P5.753 billion.

“Alleviating our people from poverty entails providing support for education until college so that they have more job opportunities and they are employed as professionals,” Legarda said. “Now that Congress has provided the funding, we urge the CHED and SUCs to ensure that these funds will go to the intended beneficiaries.” –ATM