The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman, Prospero de Vera III wants college entrance exams to focus more on fairness so that poor students have a better chance of getting a free education at state universities and colleges (SUCs).
De Vera made the statement in response to a proposal by Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno to create a nationwide test to determine who is eligible for free college education. De Vera said that such a test would be unfair to poor students who cannot afford to attend expensive review classes.
Diokno’s proposal is that the score on the nationwide test would determine which SUC and campus a student would be assigned to. He also said that students who pass the test and are eligible for free education should be allowed to use their voucher to attend an accredited private university instead of an SUC.
De Vera disagreed with Diokno’s proposal, saying that it would take away the government’s responsibility to provide education to poor students. He also said that the high dropout rate in SUCs is not an indication of wastefulness, but rather a sign that the government needs to do more to support poor students.
Data from CHED shows that 36.83% of college students who entered the school year 2020-2021 dropped out or temporarily left school. De Vera said that the government needs to address the root causes of the dropout rate, such as poverty and lack of financial support.
He also said that the government should focus on improving the quality of education in SUCs so that more students will be able to succeed.
Source: PhilNews24 | September 5, 2023
