Cebu City eyes expanding scholarship program

Local

MORE students could qualify for Cebu City's scholarship program under a proposed ordinance that seeks to expand eligibility, strengthen oversight, and tighten accreditation standards for participating schools.

The proposal, authored by City Councilors Winston Pepito and Harry Eran, would amend key provisions of the Cebu City Scholarship Program established under City Ordinance No. 2333 and later amended by Ordinance No. 2437.

The measure, which has been referred to the City Council's committee on laws and styling, aims to broaden access to scholarships by allowing more graduates of private schools to apply, provided they meet specific income and academic requirements.

Under the proposed amendments, graduates of public high schools, private schools under scholarship or government voucher programs, and Alternative Learning System (ALS) completers would continue to qualify for the program as long as their parents or legal guardians are resident voters of Cebu City.

The proposal, however, introduces a new provision that would also allow graduates of private schools, from elementary to senior high school, to avail themselves of the scholarship program if they completed their studies through academic scholarships, grants, or other forms of institutional assistance.

To qualify, applicants must present proof that their parents or legal guardians have an annual income of P250,000 or below, certified by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), as well as documents showing that they were beneficiaries of scholarships or educational grants.

The proposed ordinance states that the changes are intended to ensure "inclusivity and equitable access" to education while recognizing students who gained admission to private schools because of exceptional academic performance or educational assistance.

Current provisions of the ordinance primarily cater to graduates of public secondary schools, graduates of private schools through government scholarship programs, and ALS completers.

The measure also clarifies existing eligibility rules for students who transferred between public and private schools during their basic education.

Under the proposal, public high school graduates would remain eligible regardless of where they completed elementary education, while private school graduates under scholarship or voucher programs would need to meet specific public-school education requirements before senior high school graduation.

Moreover, the ordinance seeks to expand the composition of the Scholarship Committee, the body tasked with administering, managing, and monitoring the program.

Aside from existing members, the proposal would add representatives from the Cebu City Federation of Parents-Teachers Association, the Cebu City Scholars Coordinators, the Cebu City College Scholars Society, and the chairperson of the City Council committee on scholarship programs.

The authors said broader representation would help improve the administration, monitoring, and implementation of the scholarship program by involving key stakeholders from both the education sector and scholarship beneficiaries.

At present, the committee is composed of the city mayor, the chairperson of the City Council's education committee, the city treasurer, the city schools division superintendent, the city administrator, representatives from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and the chairperson of the City Council committee on social services.

The proposed amendments would likewise strengthen the accreditation process for schools seeking to participate in the scholarship program.

Under the measure, the Scholarship Committee would be required to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of participating institutions, including their permits, licenses, accreditation status, academic performance, institutional track record, and the adequacy of facilities such as classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and faculty resources.

Only schools that satisfy standards and guidelines established by the committee and are formally accredited would be allowed to accept scholarship grantees.

A memorandum of agreement between the Cebu City Government and participating schools would remain a requirement.

In its explanatory provisions, the proposed ordinance cites the city's continuing effort to strengthen the scholarship program as a tool for promoting social equity and inclusive development.

The measure states that expanding access to qualified students, enhancing the composition of the Scholarship Committee, and ensuring that only duly accredited schools participate in the program are necessary steps toward improving the implementation of the city's educational assistance program.

The city's scholarship program was institutionalized through Ordinance No. 2333 after initially being established in 2010 through an executive order.

It was created to help financially disadvantaged but deserving Cebu City residents to pursue college or vocational education by providing tuition assistance and other educational support.

The proposed amendments are awaiting further deliberation at the committee level before they can be elevated for council approval.(TGP)