00:00 Because many are asking, why is the finance secretary being discouraged in the fund that was allocated to free education in the college?
00:09 The Commissioner of Higher Education's response to the study of Rafi Timac.
00:14 If Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno will ask, the current free education program of the government is not visa and accession for students in the college.
00:25 In an article, the Secretariat said that the dropout rate in state universities and colleges that benefit from free tuition is high, an indication of the money of the people.
00:35 Instead, according to the Secretariat, the basic education system should be strengthened and nationwide tests should be conducted and the students should benefit from free tuition.
00:46 P21.7 billion was funded for free college education in 2024, which will benefit 2 million students.
00:55 But according to the Commissioner of Higher Education, if the dropout rate is the only basis, it is hard to say that the government's fund is wasted.
01:03 You can argue that maybe they dropped out because the subsidy of government is not enough.
01:10 Maybe their daily expenses are still not enough. So our answer should be not to reduce the subsidy, but to find a way to increase the subsidy.
01:22 In addition, the dropout rate reached 40 percent but because of the COVID pandemic, it has already met a high level.
01:30 CHED is asking, why will they save free college education when it will only be used for the trillion-trillion budget of the government?
01:38 Every peso you invest in improving a Filipino is an investment that will outlast all the infrastructure you're building, the roads you're building, because they will create a more educated workforce.
01:51 CHED did not learn to review the free college education program to be sure that it will benefit.
01:57 But instead of nationwide tests being the basis of free tuition, the government should ask the sectors that are not capable to review for the college exam.
02:07 We tried to get Secretary Benjamin Diokno to give an explanation regarding his proposal but he still has no answer.
02:13 For GMA Integrated News, Rafi Timan, Atutok, 24 Hours.
02:19 Kapuso, kasama niyo kami, 24 Horas. Mag-subscribe sa GMA Integrated News sa YouTube.
02:26 Sa mga kapuso abroad, visitahin ang GMA Pinoy TV at www.gmanews.tv.
02:34 [music]
