Zero Tuition In All State Universities, Colleges Nationwide Has Been Already Approved By Congress
The Congress has already approved the Senate bill imposing zero tuition fee in all state universities and colleges nationwide.
On Monday (May 29, 2017), the free tuition fee in state and local universities and colleges nationwide has been approved by the bicameral conference committee. The bill granting the zero tuition fee has been described by the senators as a major reform of the education system of the Philippines.
State universities and colleges (SUCs), local universities and colleges (LUCs), and government-run vocational schools were covered by the reconciled version of Senate Bill 1304 and House Bill 5633 granting a free education for college students.
The bill granting free tuition for college students was authored the following senators such as Sen. Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on education, and Senators Sonny Angara, Sherwin Gatchalian, Ralph Recto, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Loren Legarda, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Cynthia Villar, Leila de Lima, Richard Gordon, Joel Villanueva and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV.
Aquino said that this bill is a major reform for struggling students and hardworking parents. He also said that the tuition fee, other fees, and financial support for all students in all SUCs and LUCs will be granted after President Duterte signed the bill.
In 2016, the Congress realigned the P8.3 billion from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in providing free tuition fee for SUCs and LUCs when the bill was still being deliberated in Congress.
CHED has already approved the application for tuition, miscellaneous, and other fees of about 268 private higher education institutions (HEIs) for the academic year 2017-2018.
What can you say about the approval of Congress on the free tuition fee in all state universities and colleges nationwide? Just feel free to leave your comments and reactions for this article.
