Diokno wants P11B increase in 2019 budget for tertiary education

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno wants an P11 billion increase budget in 2019 for the free tertiary education program of the government.

Diokno disclosed this on Wednesday during the 2018 Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (Pasuc) midterm convention in Pasay City.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), he said, has allotted P40 billion to shoulder the tuition of around 1.4 million tertiary-level students in 2018.

His proposal, however, would raise the budget to P51 billion for 2019.

Should Diokno’s proposal be approved, P44 billion will go to the Commission on Higher Education (Ched ) while the remaining P7 billion will be allocated to Technical Education and Skills Authority (Tesda).

During his speech,the budget chief advised presidents and top executives of state colleges and universities to “invest in competent faculty.”

“Invest in competent faculty; it accounts for more than half of student performance, more than the buildings,” Diokno said.

Despite opposition from his economic managers including Diokno, President Rodrigo Duterte signed in August 2017 a law granting tuition-free education in all state universities and colleges (SUCs). Kristine Macasiray, INQUIRER.net  trainee

READ: Duterte signs free tuition law

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