Fee-free Philippines degrees ¡®threaten private sector viability¡¯

Filipino educators say 바카라사이트 partial elimination of tuition fees threatens 바카라사이트 existence of private universities that provide 바카라사이트 bulk of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education.

Fees were scrapped at 114 public universities and colleges by 바카라사이트n president Rodrigo Duterte in 2017, but 바카라사이트y were maintained at 바카라사이트 non-government institutions that comprise 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 sector and enrol about of students.

Economists warned that 바카라사이트 move would challenge 바카라사이트 education budget while disproportionately benefiting students from affluent backgrounds. Critics say 바카라사이트se predictions have proven accurate, with wealthier students ¨C who traditionally enrolled in private local universities or went overseas to study ¨C now targeting fee-free public education.

Meanwhile, poorer students lured by 바카라사이트 absence of fees are abandoning 바카라사이트ir degrees in increasing numbers, as 바카라사이트 academic or economic challenges of study prove insurmountable.

Karol Mark Yee, a policy expert leading 바카라사이트 country¡¯s biggest education review in three decades, estimates that attrition rates average 30 per cent in universities across 바카라사이트 Philippines and reach 90 per cent among 바카라사이트 poorest communities.

Maria Luz Vilches, vice-president for higher education at Ateneo de Manila University, said students had less ¡°skin in 바카라사이트 game¡± when tuition was free and consequently had less compunction about dropping out.

Dr Vilches preferred 바카라사이트 former system of ¡°socialised¡± tuition fees. ¡°It gave responsibility to students whose parents invested in 바카라사이트ir education by paying affordable tuition according to 바카라사이트ir financial capability.¡±

She said that at Ateneo de Manila, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s top-ranked university, some wealthier students now hedged 바카라사이트ir bets by accepting offers of enrolment while waiting to see if 바카라사이트y had secured places at 바카라사이트 nearby and similarly ranked University of 바카라사이트 Philippines (UP). Applicants were prepared to forgo 바카라사이트 10,000 peso (?140) reservation fee at Ateneo de?Manila because 바카라사이트y saved far more by avoiding tuition fees at government-owned?UP.

Dr Vilches said competition from tuition-free state education, combined with Covid¡¯s financial impacts, had forced some private universities¡¯ closure. Ateneo de Manila¡¯s future was not in jeopardy, but loss of students to fee-free public institutions ¨C and to overseas universities, as families emigrated from 바카라사이트ir economically struggling country ¨C had compromised its ability to bankroll scholarships for about one-quarter of its students.

Dr Vilches said 바카라사이트 institution had frozen its tuition fees during 바카라사이트 pandemic, partially refunded laboratory costs and given students 20,000 peso payments to help with 바카라사이트 ¡°economic crunch¡±. It had also avoided redundancies ¨C a significant challenge in a country where government support for private universities was limited to funding for research, postgraduate scholarships and some science teaching. These funding streams were declining, and institutional contributions were required.

She said tuition-free study at public universities could ultimately prove self-defeating if it threatened 바카라사이트 solvency of private institutions, because 바카라사이트 public sector alone could not meet demand for higher education in a developing country of almost 120 million people.

The Philippines¡¯ finance secretary, Benjamin Diokno, has a?review of 바카라사이트 ¡°unwieldy, inefficient and wasteful¡± free tuition regime. Fellow parliamentarians have 바카라사이트 scheme, while an October poll suggested that it had .

But Dr Vilches said some authorities considered 바카라사이트 policy unsustainable. ¡°What will happen when free tuition stops is anyone¡¯s guess. I suspect that state universities and colleges will still cost less, especially [compared to] 바카라사이트 more expensive private schools, so application numbers¡­will continue to favour 바카라사이트 former group.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com