FILE—Journalism students attend an in-person class at the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building. (Photo by Josh Nikkolai S. Bravo/ The Varsitarian)

PRIVATE SCHOOLS run by religious entities suffered an 8.09% drop in enrollment compared with levels in the past decade, as more students opted for local government- and state-owned universities. 

According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), enrollment in private sectarian schools dropped to 432,466 in Academic Year (AY) 2021-2022 from 470,520 in AY 2011-2012. 

Conversely, enrollment in public higher education institutions (HEIs) surged by a staggering 83.93% — to 1.94 million from 1.06 million — over the same period. Growth was recorded in the following categories: 

  • State universities and colleges (SUCs) main – 860,522 from 552,291 (55.81%)
  • SUCs satellite – 735,068 from 370,466 (98.42%)
  • Local universities and colleges (LUCs) – 345,635 from 128,961 (168.02%)

“Despite the growth in public HEIs, program expansion has primarily been concentrated in business administration and education disciplines at both undergraduate and graduate levels,” the report noted.

“SUCs, particularly their main and satellite campuses, have also seen increased enrollment in engineering, technology, and IT-related programs,” it continued. 

Student population in private nonsectarian schools rose by 34.67% to 1.46 million from 1.10 million, offsetting the decline in private sectarian enrollment and pushing the total private enrollment to a modest 21.82% growth compared with 10 years ago. 

Overall, enrollment in Philippine HEIs nearly doubled to 3.85 million from 2.62 million in AY 2011-2012. 

The number of public HEIs also grew by more than 200% to 696 institutions from 231, while private HEIs expanded by 171% to 1,714 from 637. 

The EDCOM II study covered the period when Republic Act 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, was enacted in August 2017 under then-President Rodrigo Duterte. 

The law guaranteed free tuition in SUCs, LUCs, and state-run technical-vocational institutions. But concerns were raised over funding sustainability and the potential closures of small private schools due to stiffer competition that could spell declining enrollment.

READ: ‘Free Tuition Law will shut down small private schools’  

UST is a private HEI run by the Dominican Province of the Philippines.

More poor students in public, private HEIs

The EDCOM II study also highlighted the growing number of students from low-income families enrolling in both public and private HEIs. 

Since 2014, enrollment from the lowest income brackets has increased, while those from wealthier backgrounds have declined. The wealthiest students enrolling in private universities dropped by 10.53%, while public HEIs saw a 10.97% rise in students from the three lowest income brackets. 

“Access to higher education is essential in promoting social equity and mobility. By fostering inclusion of individuals from various backgrounds, higher education contributes to poverty education and inequality,” the report read. 

EDCOM II published its study, “Fixing The Foundations: A Matter of National Survival,” in January 2025. 

On its second year, EDCOM II focused on realigning priorities toward foundational learning, such as childhood education and nutrition, primary education, and strengthening the foundations of the education system, ensuring the adequacy of classrooms and principal and nonteaching personnel. 

One of the key findings of the EDCOM II report in basic education was that 55% of the Philippines’s 45,199 public schools did not have a principal. 

EDCOM II is a commission established by Congress in 2022 to evaluate the performance of the Philippine education sector and recommend reforms.

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