THE Cebu City Government is close to realizing its dream to build the Cebu City College (CCC).
“The State shall promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all,” reads part of the ordinance authored by City Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, who is pushing for the establishment of a city college.
The ordinance defined the governing board of the city college and the board of trustees, which will operate the school.
The board of trustees (BOT) will be composed of the local chief executive as chairman and the college president as vice chairman. Other members will include the president of the faculty association, president of the Student Government Council, alumni association president and chairman of the City Council committee on education, among others.
During board meetings, a resource person—the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) director or a representative—must be present.
The resource person will be appointed for a specific term of office.
Some of the functions of the BOT will be to promulgate policies in accordance with Ched, develop academic arrangements and linkages for institutional capacity building and ensure the efficient management of non-academics services, among others.
The budget for the building of CCC will be included in the City’s annual budget, as well as its operation and maintenance.
Garcia said the mayor will decide on the budget.
The location of the college has yet to be determined.
As to the degree programs it will offer, Garcia said the board still has to discuss and determine these.
In previous interviews, Mayor Edgardo Labella wants the CCC to offer programs that are in demand in the city, such as vocational courses, medical and health-related courses and Information Technology.
Ched 7 Director Maximo Aljibe said as long as the City can comply with the requirements, such as passing an ordinance, providing a laboratory and faculty, then the City can open its local college.
“There is no law prohibiting them to open a city college. I am not saying that they are allowed. I am not also saying that they are not allowed, but they can open a college,” said Aljibe in a phone interview with SunStar Cebu. (JJL)