THE COMMISSION on Higher Education (Ched) is set to provide scholarships to teaching and non-teaching staff from higher education institutions (HEIs) affected by the K to12 implementation.
Ched will offer 15,000 graduate education scholarships for five years, starting from academic years 2016 to 2017 until 2020 to 2021.
Karol Yee, head of Ched’s K to 12 transition management program unit, said the scholarships for faculty and staff were initiated to achieve “a higher education sector able to compete with Asean neighbors.”
“Ched has designed the development packages, including scholarships for faculty and staff who will experience a much lower workload during the transition,” Yee said in an email to the Varsitarian.
Interested faculty and staff must apply to qualify for the scholarships. Those who will make the cut for master’s programs will receive a stipend of P20,000 per month, while P28,000 per month will be given to those who will qualify for doctorate programs.
The Commission has approved a total of 1,644 master’s degree and 429 doctorate degree scholars in 146 HEIs in the country.
Ched Memorandum Order No. 03 series of 2016, or the guidelines on graduate education scholarships for faculty and staff development in the K to 12 transition period, states that the scholarship covers full tuition and fees, stipend, transportation and book allowance, funding for thesis or dissertation writing, and insurance.
Fund release delayed
Rene Luis Tadle, lead convener of the Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities of the Philippines, however called out Ched’s inefficient handling of the scholarship funds.
Tadle said the government office needed “lots of improvement” in their scholarship distribution following several complaints of delays.
“[It is] sad that while the Ched has the funds, the level of utilization of the funds is very poor. It is a pity that up to now we are hearing a lot of complaints coming from Ched scholars,” Tadle said in an email to the Varsitarian.
Tadle said he knew of a couple of faculty scholars who, because of the delay in their stipends, were forced to go home to their provinces due to the unaffordable cost of living in Metro Manila.
“Our group has anticipated this – we warned Ched about this many times in the past. It appears that up to now their system remains wanting of the needed improvement. Again, it is a matter of record that Ched has very poor utilization,” Tadle said.
Yee said the delays were mostly because the scholar-applicants did not meet the deadline for submitting requirements.
Ched’s proposed P13.37-billion budget for 2017 was reduced by P2 billion after Congress removed P1 billion each from its K to 12 Transition Program and research partnership with the University of California.
