BAGUIO CITY, Jan. 8 (PNA) -– About 3,000 high school graduates annually from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will benefit from the newly signed “Iskolar ng Bayan” law.
President Benigno Simeon Aquino III signed into law Republic Act 10648 mandating the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) around the country to provide automatic admission and scholarships to the top 10 graduating students of all public high schools in the country.
In an interview on Thursday, January 8, Department of Education (DepEd) Cordillera Regional Director Ellen Donato said the SUCs are expected to grant free tuition and other school fees to the “Iskolar ng Bayan”.
There are 21 public high schools in Baguio City or 210 students or about 2,910 all over the Cordillera Region that will benefit from the new law.
Donato said there are about 79,000 high school students expected to graduate this year but just about 10 percent will pursue college due to finances and other domestic issues.
”Iskolar ng Bayan” law is a great help for these financially constrained families, Donato said.
With the rising cost of education, it was estimated that for every 100 students entering grade 1, only 66 will make it to grade 6 and only 43 will make it through high school.
Only 23 will pursue college education and only 14 students will graduate in college.
The “Iskolar ng Bayan” law is the solution of the Aquino administration to the problem on the rising cost of education in the country, Donato said. (PNA)