Tuition Fee

BIDA KA!: Libreng kolehiyo

Mga bida, isa sa mga mahalagang panukalang batas na ating isinusulong bilang chairman ng Committee on Education ay ang libreng edukasyon sa state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Maliban sa inyong lingkod, lima pang senador ang nagsumite ng panukalang gawing libre ang pag-aaral sa SUCs.

Magkakaiba man ang nilalaman at detalye ng mga panukalang ito, iisa lang ang direksiyon na tinutumbok ng mga ito – ang bigyan ng libreng pag-aaral sa SUCs ang mga kapus-palad nating mga kababayan na nais magtapos ng kolehiyo.

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Noong nakaraang Miyerkules, nagsagawa ng pagdinig ang ating kumite sa mga nasabing panukala. Ang pagdinig na ito ay dinaluhan ng iba’t ibang sektor na nagbigay ng kanilang komento at suhestiyon ukol sa panukalang batas.

Nagpahayag ng pangamba ang ilang sektor, lalo na sa pag-alis ng mga estudyante mula pribadong paaralan kapag ginawang libre ang tuition sa SUCs.

Isa pang pangamba ay kung paano epektibong ipatutupad ang panukala. May mga nagsabing dapat naka-target siya sa tipo ng kurso at may iba namang nagpanukala na nakatuon siya sa kakayahan ng estudyante na magbayad.

May nagbanggit naman na maging may kaya man o wala, basta nasa loob ng SUCs, ay dapat libre na ang edukasyon.

Maliban sa tuition fee, pabor din ang iba na isama sa saklaw ng panukala ang miscellaneous expenses, living expenses at iba pang bayarin upang lubos na makatulong sa mga nanga­ngailangan.

Ito ang ilan lang sa mga isyu na kailangang resolbahin upang matiyak na matutupad nito ang hangarin nating mabigyan ng libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo ang mahihirap ngunit determinado nating mga kababayan.

Kaya nakatakda pang magsagawa ng ilang technical working group ang kumite kasama ang iba’t ibang sektor upang mapag-usapan at maplantsa ang mga mabusising isyu.

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Subalit sa dami ng mga sumusuporta sa libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo, tiwala ako na maisasabatas ito sa loob ng isang taon.

Sa huling tala, nasa P9 bilyon ang koleksiyon ng SUCs mula sa tuition fee ngunit sa aking palagay, hindi ito ang dapat tingnan.

Mas dapat bigyang bigat ng pamahalaan ay tulungan ang mga kabataan nating kapus-palad ngunit determinadong mag-aral na makatapos ng kolehiyo.

Sabi nga, dapat pagbuhusan ng pondo ang mga prayoridad na proyekto at programa ng gobyerno.

At kung mahalaga ang edukasyon, nararapat nga itong paglaanan ng pondo upang ang lahat ay makinabang, lalo na ang mahihirap.

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Maliban sa libreng edukasyon sa kolehiyo, isa pa nating adbokasiya ay ang lalo pang pagpapaganda ng kalidad ng edukasyon sa ating mga SUCs.

Kumbaga, ang libreng edukasyon sa SUCs ay nakatuon sa pagbibigay ng access o pagkakataon sa mga mahihirap na makatapos ng kolehiyo.

Subalit hiwalay nating isinusulong ay ang lalo pang pagpapaganda sa sistema ng edukasyon sa SUCs sa pamamagitan ng mahahalagang reporma.

Kabilang sa mga repormang ito ay ang paglalaan ng pondo para sa mga dagdag na suweldo at benepisyo para sa mga guro at kailangang pasilidad at kagamitan ng SUCs.

Maliban pa rito, dapat ding tiyakin na ang mga kursong iaalok ng SUCs ay nakakonekta sa mga industriya upang mas madali ang paghahanap ng trabaho ng graduates.

Ito’y ilan lang sa ating mga tututukan at tatrabahuin bilang chairman ng Committee on Education ngayong 17th Congress.

Outlaw Exam Ban on Students for Non-payment of Tuition Fees — Sen. Bam

Banning students from taking examinations for failure to pay tuition fees will be outlawed once a measure filed by Senator Bam Aquino is enacted into law.

If enacted into law, Aquino’s Senate Bill No. 2369, or the “Students’ Rights and Welfare Act of 2014,” will punish violators of imprisonment of up to five years and fine of up to P100,000.

If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the president, treasurer, secretary or any officer or person responsible for the violation.

“If the offender is a public officer or employee, the Court shall, in addition to the penalties above, order his or her dismissal from government service,” said Aquino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth.

 Explaining his measure, Aquino stressed that while education plays a vital role in shaping the youth as future leaders of the country, they must be equipped with more than just knowledge, skills and attitudes to enable them to contribute meaningfully to society.

“While there is an effort to improve the technical content and curriculum, and the delivery and instruction, there is also a need to reform the non-academic side of education,” said Aquino, who, during his time as a student council president, Aquino fought for the rights and welfare of his fellow students.

“When I was in the Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral in the Ateneo de Manila University, we worked on the student handbook that discussed the rights and welfare of students, and encouraged the student body to join the different volunteer organizations,” the senator said.

Aquino said the bill seeks to broaden the focus of education institutions towards a more holistic formation of students.

“By providing a national framework for students’ rights and welfare, this measure seeks to create conducive atmosphere to maximize their learning and growth,” the senator said.

 “Students are no longer just the future of the country. We count on them to be leaders in their communities in the here and now,” he added.

 The bill seeks to strengthen students’ rights, including the right against discrimination in educational institutions, right to competent instruction and accessible, quality, relevant education and the right to organize.

Also, Aquino said the students’ right to establish a student council or government, right to adequate welfare services and academic facilities and have a representation in the school’s highest policy-making body would be assured.

Other students’ rights that will be strengthened by the bill are right to information, freedom of expression, academic freedom, academic procedure, privacy, access to school records and issuance of official certificates and the right against illegal searches and seizures.

The students’ welfare will also be safeguarded through the banning of firearms in schools and the prohibition of unauthorized school fees and other tariffs.

Ensure Quality of Education Before Any Tuition Fee Increase – Sen. Bam to CHED

Senator Bam Aquino has asked the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to consider quality of education in determining whether a tuition fee increase is justified.

Aquino made the pronouncement after the CHED revealed that a total of 353 private universities and colleges have filed petitions to increase their tuition and other fees this coming school year.

“Quality of education should be one of the criteria before allowing a school to increase tuition fees,” said Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Youth.

“How can a college explain to parents that they need to pay more when their children aren’t getting the quality education they deserve?” stressed Aquino.

Aquino called on CHED to add the passing rate of colleges in board exams, employability of the graduates and other criteria to measure quality of education in allowing the universities and colleges to raise their tuition fees.

“We must ensure the employability of graduates as way of addressing the country’s high unemployment rate,” the senator said.

Aquino also revealed that he plans to file a resolution to call on CHED and the representatives of the private universities and colleges to address the issue.

 

Photo source: Philstar.com

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