Published by Gabrielle Vergara
Date Published: June 09, 2023
Time Published: 9:55 AM
The government must prioritize resolving the Philippines' existing education crisis. There is little reason to believe that college admission tests and the likes should never have been issued, simply because neither an individual's intellectual aptitude nor their economic standing should be the basis for providing individuals with a high-quality education. Each student has the right to an education. Quality education must be provided to everyone who wants to study in college, and it must not be difficult for anybody, particularly those from the less fortunate, to compete and provide proof that they are deserving of admission to their preferred state university or college.
However, it must be considered that having admission tests is critical for a state university given that resources are constrained and that, in reality, a state university cannot accommodate every single student in their admissions and that state universities and colleges (SUCs) have limited capacity. A number of SUCs have adopted the free tuition law. The University of the Philippines has received over 100,000 yearly applications in recent years, making it one of the most sought-after institutions of higher learning in the country. Towering piles of applications, on the other hand, with a low acceptance rate of 15-19%, were never a sign of repute, but of a system in need of repair.
CHED earlier stated that the percentage of university-age Filipinos enrolled in colleges increased to 41% from 30% prior to the implementation of free higher education, and while this can be a good indicator of Filipinos' interest in pursuing higher education, CHED stated that most public higher education institutions (HEIs) could no longer stretch their capacity to accept more students. As the HEIs such as UP only accept 14,000 students per year out of more than 100,000 applicants and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines where it admitted only 20,000 of the 172,608 applications it received across its various branches and satellite campuses this year.
Other state universities and colleges, if not capable of providing a wider range of degree programs for their students, are also underfunded, and often neglected by the national government. Which can only do as much with such minimal support. That is why the government must reallocate the budget to the necessary needs of the masses while mitigating the budget cuts being done as we are going in the middle of an educational crisis. SUCs must be prioritized by the government along with having quality tertiary learning in the provinces. Thus, providing quality education in all schools.
The entire point of having a quality education accessible to all is for us to aid the youth, specifically the poor individuals, to lift themselves up from the rubble they are in. Education must serve the masses and should be for the masses, it must be everyone’s right.
Everyone should be able to attend the college of their choice. Although it may appear that the system restricts students from acquiring a high-quality education due to restricted slots. The question isn't whether a test should be administered, but why can't we provide our people with the education they must have.
These initiatives to make our schools and institutions more accessible will only benefit a select group of students until we address the underlying inequalities. The solution is not just to democratize access to higher education, but also to fight toward truly public and quality education, where excellence is never sacrificed for equity.
References:
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/05/31/2270324/more-students-applying-sucs
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