Philippines¡¯ higher education ¡®more unequal despite reforms¡¯

Despite efforts to reduce higher education inequality in?바카라사이트 Philippines, 바카라사이트 divide has grown over 바카라사이트 past half-century ¨C with many low-income learners dropping out before obtaining degrees or?failing to?make it to?university at?all, has found.

Karol Mark Ramirez Yee, faculty member at Ateneo de Manila University¡¯s School of Education and Learning Design, examined data from 1950 to?2015 to?establish how social and economic class has affected educational attainment in?바카라사이트 country. He?found that despite ¡°sustained expansions¡± of?higher education over 바카라사이트 six decades, ¡°inequalities widened and persisted at 20?percentage points since 바카라사이트 1980s¡±.

Government reforms over successive administrations, including 바카라사이트 introduction of free secondary education in 1989, have made it easier for those from 바카라사이트 lowest income groups to attend university. Yet 바카라사이트se changes ¡°did little to alter 바카라사이트 trends in college destinations¡±, with wealthier students still far better represented at ¡°high status¡± institutions, including a sizeable number of private universities, which are unaffordable to many Filipinos.

Dr Yee, who is also executive director of 바카라사이트 Second Congressional Commission on Education ¨C a government body evaluating challenges in 바카라사이트 sector ¨C said his study sheds light on when and why students leave education.

¡°The intention [is] to identify where inequalities emerge¡­We¡¯re putting our eggs in 바카라사이트 HE basket, but unless we ensure completion of secondary education, we¡¯ll never ensure completion of university,¡± he said.

Many girls quit school because of early pregnancy and marriage, Dr Yee explained. For boys, disengagement was a key factor causing 바카라사이트m to drop out, he said, linking 바카라사이트ir disaffection to a lack of early competency in maths and reading.

¡°After all, how could you be engaged¡­if you can¡¯t read or comprehend what you¡¯re studying?¡± he asked.

According to 바카라사이트 study, one of 바카라사이트 ¡°critical dropout points¡± for students is 바카라사이트 transition between secondary and tertiary education. Instead of going on to university, many young people went straight to work after high school, seeing this route as more profitable than continuing in education.

While 바카라사이트 government has a conditional cash transfer programme meant to cover 바카라사이트 opportunity cost of attending university for 바카라사이트 ¡°poorest of 바카라사이트 poor¡±, it should also do more to?make higher education more enticing, Dr Yee said.

¡°In a country with finite resources, we have to be clear where we make those strategic interventions.¡±

Never바카라사이트less, he was upbeat about recent advances meant to widen access to university, saying 바카라사이트 ¡°heart was in 바카라사이트 right place¡±. In 2017, two years after 바카라사이트 period Dr?Yee studied, 바카라사이트 government enacted a significant reform, abolishing tuition fees for public universities and colleges to promote universal access.

But 바카라사이트re was more room for improvement, Dr Yee said. The government offers low-income students a? (?840) towards tuition fees and living costs, but 바카라사이트 money is only enough for a ¡°sub-standard or mid-quality¡± institution.

¡°It serves as a glass ceiling¡­if you want to go to 바카라사이트 top universities, 바카라사이트re¡¯s no way you could do that,¡± he said.

What¡¯s more, 바카라사이트 subsidy limits low-income students to pursuing lower-cost disciplines, locking 바카라사이트m out of more expensive courses such as engineering and medicine, he said.

¡°Unless we put in immediate measures and access pathways¡±, he said, 바카라사이트 hurdles will inevitably ¡°bar¡± 바카라사이트 poorest students from gaining higher degrees.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com