COA says only 5% of K-12 transition scholars rendered return service

MANILA, Philippines – Only 453 teaching and non-teaching scholars who received funding from the K to 12 transition program fulfilled their commitments to render return service, according to the Commission on Audit’s (COA) 2022 annual audit report for the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

This number of scholars only represented around 5% of 8,602 individuals who received financial support from the government in 2016 and 2017 to pursue graduate and post-graduate degrees.

As of December 2022, the COA said CHED’s program already produced 3,308 scholars who finished their studies, representing around 38% of those who qualified. Seven years since the program started, CHED’s data revealed that there are still 1,892 scholars who have yet to finish their studies, while 1,639 have withdrawn from the program or stopped studying.

Meanwhile, the rest of the scholars were considered “for confirmation,” meaning there’s not much information about their status.

Those who qualified for the K to 12 transition scholarships were obligated to render government service as part of their commitment.

Based on the available data, Central Visayas produced the most number of scholars who finished their studies with 261, followed by Calabarzon with 227. Ironically, the two regions also produced the highest numbers of “terminated/withdrawn” scholars with 632 and 498, respectively.

The COA, in its recommendation, told CHED to notify the scholars who failed to render return of service to comply with their commitments. As for those who have failed to finish their studies after availing the program, the state auditors said the CHED should issue demand letters, asking them to refund the money the government had provided them.

Meanwhile, the CHED said it will conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the scholars who left the program.

Education officials thought that the two-year delay in the enrollment of high school students due to the K to 12 program would result in lower enrollment in colleges and universities. This could affect both the teaching and non-teaching personnel.

As one of the responses on the problem, the transition program was launched. Those who enrolled to earn master’s degree received free tuition fee and other fees, including P20,000 living allowance, and P50,000 thesis/ dissertation allowance.

Meanwhile, for those who pursued post-graduate studies, they were free from paying tuition fee, with P28,000 monthly allowance and P100,000 thesis/ dissertation allowance. All the scholars received P10,000 book, and P10,000 transportation allowances. – Rappler.com