In my interpellation of the CHED budget, I cited last year’s annual per student cost.

The rough calculation was on a per regional basis and I agree that data should be unbundled per school to have a clearer picture.

I hope that my rudimentary presentation triggers a healthy debate on the issue.

I also believe that in the interest of transparency, a per student cost should be made part of an SUC’s budget submission and a national comparative table be included in the National Expenditure Program.

This is not to pass judgement on whether certain schools deserve what they get, as there are metrics to be used other than a simple spreadsheet.

Not all SUC students are funded equal.

Each may have different requirements, such as equipment backlog or staffing deficit which must be erased, the investments for which would differ from school to school.

But what is clear is that the allocation should be rationalized and needs reworking based on updated and fair parameters.

As we increase funding for state colleges, solidarity dictates that a rising tide must raise all ships.

For 2021, the average per student cost in SUCs is P80,000. That’s the yearly taxpayer burden per SUC student. This is roughly based on the SUCs P80 billion appropriation and CHED funds for public school scholarships of P25 billion, or a total of P105 billion for 1.3 million students.

But students in private colleges get taxpayer subsidy too, at a rate of P60,000 each next year. Sila yung 341,000 enrollees sa pribado na magbebenepisyo sa tuition subsidy na nagkakahalaga ng P20 billion. Ito ay pangangasiwaan ng CHED ayon sa probisyon at mandato ng Tertiary Education Subsidy sa Republic Act No. 10931, o Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Law.(###)