ACT scholars advised by officials to transfer

No more Cebu City scholars will be  enrolled in the Asian College of Technology International Education Foundation (ACTIEF) for this school year, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said yesterday.

“Until the pending court case is settled, those coming in  are being enjoined to enroll in other schools,” Rama told reporters after meeting with the city scholarship committee and some city councilors yesterday.

Rama said he will meet with  presidents and representatives of  other accredited schools soon  to appeal to them to accept the ACTIEF scholars, especially those who need to continue college.

Incoming first year college students won’t  be allowed to enroll in ACTIEF since the Cebu city government hasn’t renewed its agreement with the school for this  year.

Last week, the Cebu city government sought declaratory relief from the court to determine whether or not the city  should pay ACT.

The Ombudsman earlier issued a decision confirming that  the school owner, Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa of Cebu City’s south district, was involved in a conflict of interest. Abellanosa signed on behalf of ACT when he was still city councilor.

In order to avoid “technical and legal complications,” Rama said the existing ACTIEF scholars should be transferred to other accredited schools.

“They (parents and students) have to face the reality that there is a case and there are solutions,” he said. Several parents earlier said they want their children to continue studying in ACTIEF so they won’t have problems on their subjects.

But Ida Yting, city scholarship committee head, said they started meeting the parents and students in the past days, informing them of he mayor’s directive.

Court’s decision
As of the second semester of the last school year, there were 2,805 city scholars in ACTIEF including those who graduated last March.

But Yting said there are a few city scholars who have enrolled in ACTIEF since the school still accepted them.

“We can’t stop them if they really want to continue there and if the school still accepted them. We will just have to wait for the court’s decision,” she said.

More than 6,000 incoming first year college students took the exam to qualify as a city scholar in the incoming school year.

The committee is currently checking their eligibility.

By July, Yting said they will know how many of those who took the exam will continue as a city scholar in the colleges and universities accredited by the city’s scholarship program.