THE Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) has used only P1.45 billion out of the P8-billion funding for free tuition in state universities and colleges as of the end of 2017, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).
In its 2017 annual audit report, the COA called on the CHEd to revisit its policies on the processing of claims and billings, as well as scholarship and research funding applications.
The COA directive is meant to address the delayed submission of requirements by the beneficiaries of CHEd programs that led to lower than expected disbursement rates of its allocations.
Auditors blamed the 18.11 percent fund utilization rate for the Higher Education Support Program on the SUCs’ delayed submission of billing statements for subsidies to make up for the foregone tuition.
Universal Quality Access to Tertiary Education Act
The program was the first time the SUC students were relieved of the burden of paying tuition, even before President Duterte signed the Universal Quality Access to Tertiary Education Act into law.