UniFAST bill awaits PNoy's signature
IMPROVED STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM TO WIDEN ACCESS TO EDUCATION - ANGARA

Senator Sonny Angara has lauded the Senate and the House of Representatives' passage of a bill that would ensure inclusivity and equity in the grant of student financial assistance in the country.

Both houses of Congress have ratified last week the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) Act which will soon be sent to Malacanang for President Aquino to sign into law.

"At present, apart from budgetary limitations, there is a glaring lack of coherence in our policies that govern the grant of public-funded student assistance such as scholarships, grants-in-aid and loans. Sa kasalukuyan, walang datos kung ilang mag-aaral ang napagkalooban ng scholarship hindi lamang ng CHED kundi pati na rin ng iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno. Wala ring datos kung patas ba ang distribusyon sa bawat rehiyon at kung nakakaabot ba ito sa mga karapat-dapat at higit na nangangailangan ng tulong pinansyal," said Angara, the principal author of this landmark legislation.

A study by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) revealed that student financial assistance programs have only assisted about 60,000 students in 2011, a mere 2 percent of the 2.7 million Filipino college students.

The study also showed that even students from higher income families, who could do without assistance from the government, were granted financial aid.

The lawmaker stressed that with the enactment of this bill, the government could put up a system that would harmonize and give direction to all student financial assistance programs which would result to a speedy and sustained administration that is more targeted, effective and efficient.

Under the proposed measure, beneficiaries under the Iskolar ng Bayan Act, or the top 10 graduates of every public high school, will be prioritized in the provision of government-funded scholarships while students belonging to poor families and marginalized sectors can easily avail of the grants-in-aid.

A single entity to be called the UniFAST Board will be created to oversee the grant of student financial assistance programs, and to review the performance and assess the impact of the UniFAST program.

Angara lamented the current lack of tracer studies to monitor the completion rate of the student beneficiaries, and evaluate whether the financial assistance provided actually helped them land a decent job after graduation, earn higher salaries or make significant contributions to community service and public good.

"The success of financial assistance programs is not solely measured by the improved access to higher education and the increased number of scholars. Ang mahalaga ay masiguro natin na ang tulong pinansyal mula sa gobyerno ay nagdulot ng malaking kaginhawahan sa mga benepisyaryong mag-aaral, lalo na sa pagtaas ng antas ng kanilang sariling pamumuhay at ng kanilang pamilya, at sa kanilang pagiging lubos na kapaki-pakinabang sa lipunan," Angara said.