সোমবার, ১৭ জানুয়ারী, ২০১১

Education financing of education and loan system in Phillipine (02)

In terms of limits on tuition fees in private institutions,  in February 2007, the CHED scrapped CMO 14, which had placed a cap on tuition hikes in private institutions like online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university  and prohibited private institutions from tuition fee increases higher than the prevailing national inflation rate,  and re-implemented CMO 13, which merely requires private institutions to hold consultations before imposing tuition fee increases.

The  University of the Philippines implemented the Social Tuition Fee Assistance Program (STFAP) in 1989 in order to democratize undergraduate student admission and benefit low-income and disadvantaged students. The STFAP was mandated by the President and Congress of Philippines through General Appropriations Acts of 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992. The program was revised in December 2006. Under the STFAP, students from higher income families pay higher fees and students from the lowest income families are eligible for free tuition plus a living allowance, education loan, student loans, education degrees. It also includes scholarships, education loans, student loans for living subsidies based on need and merit and student work study opportunities.

In 2006, the University of the Philippines increased undergraduate tuition fees for the first time in more than 15 years from P300 per unit to P1000 per unit  (for those in the highest income bracket) for new students in the 2007-08 academic year. It also approved annual education degrees, online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university tuition increased based on the country’s national inflation rate. However, in May 2008, in the face of rapidly increasing oil and food prices,  the  Philippines  President placed a moratorium on tuition fee, education loan, student loans, education degrees, online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university  increases in the 110 state university and colleges. She also called on private institutions like education degrees, online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university  to freeze plans for tuition fee increases. 

The Philippine government, universities, individuals, organizations, corporations, online masters degree, online colleges, online university  provide scholarship programs to students from low-income families. According to 2006 CHED data, CHED provided financial assistance to 41,712 students (broken down as 15,190 students in the scholarship program, 25,733 in the grant in aid program and 789 in the student  loan or education program).  In 2005, new procedures for administering the CHED scholarships, loans and grants in aid programs were approved (excluding the  study now pay later student loan or education loans program), which outlined the slot allocation process, the fund allocation process, the respective management roles of the CHED offices  and participating higher education institutions. 

Among other scholarship program, the CHED administers the State Scholarship Program (SSP) for needy meritorious students, the National Integration Study Grant Program (NISGP) for needy members of cultural minority groups, and the Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) Program, education loan, student loans, education degrees, online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university for needy students entering private universities. 

The CHED also offers student loans through the “Study Now Pay Later Plan (SNPLP)”. Started in 1976, SNPLP is the oldest system-wide means-tested student loan scheme. The loans, which cover tuition and means tested allowances, were  originally  funded and operated by  five  Government Financing Institutions (GFIs).  By 1992, the GFIs disengaged from the program and the loans were administered and allocated first by the DECS, and then by CHED using funds from the Government Assistance to Teachers and Students in Private Education fund and the Poverty Alleviation Fund and students in private institutions became eligible for loans, education loan, student loans, education degrees, online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university. CHED allocates the SNPLP slots equitably among regions and the total number of slots are determined by the budget allocation; however the total number of students availing of the loan, education degrees, student loan has been quite limited.

The repayment rate of SNPLP dropped from  41 per cent in the 1970s-1980s, to 3 percent, in the process of GFIS’ disengagement in 1988-1992, to only 1.9 percent in 2003 (Kiaev et. Al 2003). Reasons for the low repayment rate included lack of information on Where abouts of defaulters;  unemployment or low income of defaulters;  absence of legislation compelling loan guarantors  to pay off  the “bad” loans of defaulters;  lack of capacities to track and prosecute defaulters by both implementing and funding agencies; absence of data bank on SNPLP;  absence of a specialized unit in charge of loan collection; and fast turnover of personnel in charge of SNPLP without proper delegation of responsibilities (Kitaev et al 2003).
  
In 2007 new legislation was passed  to  reform  the student loan, education loan, student loans, education degrees, online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university  system. The Study-Now-Pay-Later Fund was created along with  a body to administer it, the Educational Loan Fund Authority under the CHED. The legislation also revised the terms of the loan and set the maximum annual loan amount to be equivalent to the prevailing cost per academic unit at the University of the Philippines multiplied by fifty academic units at an interest rate ranging between 5 and 10 percent as determined by the Educational Loan Fund Board (governing body of the Authority). Repayment begins five years after graduation and must be paid in five equal annual amortizations starting from the data the first loan, education loan, student loan payment becomes due.

The government has created additional student loan programs as well.  In 2006, the government created the PGMA Higher Education loan program for needy 3rd and 4th year students in private higher education institutions via partnerships between the CHED and the individual private institutions. As part of the program the participating higher education institution, education degrees, online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university  agrees to establish a Student Financial Assistance Unit to administer the program. The loans, which carry an interest rate of 6 percent (compounded from loan disbursement), are only for tuition fees and the maximum amounts are determined by the individual higher education institutions.

In 1999, a regional scheme in the Bicol Region (or Region V), one of the most deprived regions in the Philippines, was introduced to  increase access to higher education by providing loans to deserving students.  Qualified students may borrow a maximum amount of P7,250.00 per semester or P14,500.00 per year to cover tuition, other school fees and allowances.  Interest on the loan  is six per cent (6%) per year and commences upon release of the loan. Repayment begins  two years after graduation and  is amortized within a period of  ten years. The participating higher education institutions, education degrees, online degrees, online masters degree, online colleges, online university  where the student is enrolled in shall take charge of collecting the repayment of loans which shall also be used to continue and expand the program.

In 2000, the CHED created the Student Loan Program (SLP) for Centers of Excellence in priory courses aimed at poor but deserving students enrolled in the selected universities that have been designated Centers of Excellence in priority courses. Loans of P10, 000 cover tuition and other school fees. Similar to the Bicol Region loan, the SLP scheme differs from the SNPLP in  that it involves the institutions concerned directly in administering the scheme, under the supervision of the Office of Student Service of CHED. Because of extra administrative burden and without any motivations or incentives, certain institutions like online colleges, online universities, online masters degrees, online degrees, education degree institutions refused to participate in this scheme.