SEVERAL Cebu City Government scholars at Britech Interface College have complained that the course they are taking has not been accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).
Scholars Sheila Mhae Arellano, Adelyn Marie Cobarde, Mary Ann Medida, Dale Rago and Angelou Velasquez, who are all taking Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Restaurant Management (BSHRM), recently sent a letter to Councilor Alvin Dizon to raise the matter.
Dizon is the chairperson of the Council committee on education and the vice chairperson of the City’s scholarship committee.
In their letter dated June 16, the scholars lamented that they already finished their third year when they were informed that the school’s BSHRM accreditation is only up to second year.
“Sa sinugdanan pa lang, wala mi nila gipahibaw nga di diay accredited sa Ched ang BSHRM nga kurso sa Britech. Sa pag-abot namo’g third year, usa pa sila miingon namo nga kutob ra diay two years ang na-register sa Ched. Karon, fourth year na unta mi (Right from the start, they didn’t tell us that Britech’s BSHRM course is not Ched accredited. They only told us that the accreditation was only until second year now that we’re in third year. We’re supposed to be fourth year now),” they said.
Their letter was tackled during the council’s June 24 regular session and referred to the scholarship committee headed by Ida Yting for appropriate action.
According to the scholars, they were told by Britech that they would enroll them at the University of Visayas (UV) in May so they can continue their studies.
Last May 12, the scholars, accompanied by their college administrator, went to UV to enroll. Three days after, they were officially enrolled.
However, last June 11, the scholars said they had a meeting with Britech officials and were told to withdraw from UV because they will be transferred to Southwestern University since the tuition is less. The scholars complied.
On June 15, the scholars said they went to Britech to ask for feedback about their final decision on where they will be enrolled, but the school’s owner had a meeting.
Their dean, though, said that the school will give a refund to the scholars at P30,000 each for the year that was wasted.
“Sa pagkakaron, we’re requesting the scholarship committee to facilitate a dialogue between the students and Britech,” they said.
They are also asking Dizon, chairperson of the City Council committee on education, to help them solve their problem.
Yting, in an interview yesterday, said though that the issue has already been settled even before the matter was tackled by the council.
Yting said the school, the parents and the students had an agreement that the scholars will continue their studies in other accredited schools of the City for the scholarship program.