THE financial aspect remains a major obstacle for students pursuing their degrees. Students who experienced financial strain before dropping out, alongside current beneficiaries of free tuition, shared their opinions on the government’s support and its effectiveness. While many acknowledge the free tuition helps, several students find it insufficient and suggest additional initiatives.
Jomer Dela Cerna, a recent dropout from a state university in Cebu, evaluated the free tuition policy. “I think it’s helpful,” Dela Cerna said.
Kate Verano, a private school dropout in Cebu, agreed. She believes the policy would have given her a better chance to complete her studies. “Yes, it’s already an opportunity to be in school, with free tuition, especially if you’re in college, but it doesn’t mean it’s ‘enough’ that students are not struggling anymore because of that,” Verano said.
Dela Cerna echoed the same sentiment. Kimberly Lumapas finds the free tuition insufficient, pointing out other school expenses. “I think dili gyud enough kay tuod free ang tuition, it doesn’t really excuse ang mga uban expenditures,” Lumapas said.
(I think it’s really not enough because even if tuition is free, it doesn’t really excuse the other expenses.)
Johannes Ungria, a self-supporting continuing college student in a state university, holds similar views. “Even if the free tuition system is progressive and important, it’s barely enough to ensure the retention and completion of students,” Ungria said. “The system only focuses on the access they grant to students, not on the sustainability of studies. Structural pressure brought by being poor is a problem,” he said.
Dela Cerna, also a working student, experienced structural pressures from poverty. Financial constraints forced him to take an unfamiliar course because his preferred options were in Lapu-Lapu City or Manila. This demonstrates Ungria’s statement about the structural pressures placed on students in need.
Verano proposed the government provide free meals, books, supply assistance, free review programs and job placement assistance. “I knew a lot of people weren’t able to continue, especially those who needed to take board exams, so they just worked,” Verano said. “Free tuition alone doesn’t mean free education. Students still need support to actually stay in school and succeed,” she said.
Lumapas said access to technology, machines and allowances helps students.
Ungria said the government must shift from an access-based policy to a completion-oriented education policy. “They need to have living allowances that’s enough, labor protection and flexibility for working students, institutionalized mental health remediation programs and quality implementation of the policies, targeting those who are really in need, having transparency,” Ungria said.
“The quality of implementation is not just the existence of the policy that is critical — clear targeting of those most in need, transparency and accountability of schools,” he said.
Jed Daryl Barangan / Cebu Technological University