THE Mandaue City Government continues to improve Mandaue City College's facilities, as it aims to have its Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) application approved so it can continue its free scholarship program.
City Councilor Malcolm Sanchez, chairman of the Committee on Education, said on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, that the college's UniFAST re-application was denied.
But Sanchez assured that while MCC's UniFAST new application is pending, the City Government would shoulder the funds needed to sustain its free tuition program.
UniFAST is a program under Commission on Higher Education (Ched) that grants free tuition for tertiary education.
MCC's first application for the UniFAST was in 2019 when it was granted the free tuition program.
Sanchez said among the grounds for the disapproval is that the school lacks plantilla (permanent) positions and other facilities.
On Tuesday, the City Government turned over 12 modular classrooms, including a new school canteen and clinic, among others.
Sanchez said the new facilities would help increase the chance of the MCC getting approved for UniFAST and being granted a Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC).
He added that Ched is set to inspect MCC this month.
Dr. Lilibeth Mayol, the acting college administrator of MCC, said the modular classrooms are a huge help for students, stressing that they could help provide them with stable learning.
A modular classroom can be assembled, dismantled, and transferred anywhere, unlike traditional classrooms, which are nontransferrable, said Mayol.
“In cases of calamities and other emergencies, we can at least assure that students still have classrooms for learning,” she added.
Meanwhile, Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said they aim to make MCC a department so it will receive funds from the city's annual budget.
"This would also help us provide adequate compensation for our faculty members (MCC)," said Cortes.
MCC currently has about 2,000 enrolled students.
Its classes started on Monday, September 6. At present, the college observes blended learning, a combination of online and limited in-person classes.
But Mayol said they target to implement full face-to-face classes in the second semester of 2023. (HIC)