The government is planning to spend P35.4 billion to implement the free college tuition program, P20 billion to build classrooms, and P12.6 billion for learning resources next year.
The budget allocations are part of the P673-billion budget of the education sector under the proposed 2020 General Appropriations Act submitted to Congress.
“Prioritizing access to quality education remains a relevant strategy to reduce inequality, enhance capabilities, and development competencies,” President Duterte said in his recent budget message to Congress.
“With a total of P109.3 billion we are allocating to Tertiary Education, P35.4 billion will go to the continued implementation of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) program, covering the cost of tertiary education for Filipino students of all socioeconomic classes enrolled in SUCs, Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), and Higher Education Institutions,” he said.
Education will get the biggest slice of the P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 proposed by the Executive branch.
Under the education budget, the President said the government has set aside P551.7 billion for Department of Education (DepEd), P68.5 billion for 114 SUCs, P40.8 billion for the Commission on Higher Education, and P12 billion for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). (Genalyn Kabiling)