SENATOR Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada has put forward a proposal to grant free tuition to government employees pursuing a master’s degree in state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Estrada has filed Senate Bill No. 2277, known as the “Government Employees Free MA Tuition in SUCs Act,” which seeks to provide career and non-career government employees with the opportunity to pursue a two-year Master’s Program in SUCs without the burden of paying tuition fees.
“Government workers play a crucial role in the country’s human resources, and it is essential to offer them educational advancement opportunities to improve their skills. By enhancing the professionalization of civil servants, the efficient delivery of public services can be further improved, benefiting the people,” Estrada said.
He said that some agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), already provide scholarship grants to qualified employees pursuing a master’s degree.
“There are many employees in other government branches who wish to pursue higher education to enhance their personal growth, advance their careers, and serve the public more effectively,” the senator said.
He noted that higher positions in the government require individuals to hold a master’s degree to ensure they possess the necessary capacity and competence to fulfill their responsibilities and make informed decisions for the organization.
As of June 30, 2022, the Inventory of Government Human Resources (IGHR) of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) indicated there are 1,820,457 career and non-career employees in the government.
The cost of a master’s degree varies from P800 to P1,500 per unit, resulting in tuition fees ranging from P19,200 to P50,000 for the completion of a 24-unit program.
Additional fees related to various activities required for the degree are not included in the amount.
To be eligible for the program, non-career contractual government personnel must have at least five years of employment and pass the entrance examination and other admission and retention requirements of the SUCs. Individuals who have already received government-sponsored graduate education scholarships in any higher education institution, whether public or private, in the country or abroad, are ineligible. Moreover, those who fail to complete their master’s degree within a year after the prescribed period in their graduate education program will be disqualified.
The proposed legislation aims to provide government employees with the means to pursue higher education and enhance their professional capabilities, ultimately benefiting public service and the nation as a whole, Estrada said.
Libreng matrikula pang-masteral degree ng mga kawani ng gobyerno, ipinapanukala ni Jinggoy
HINILING ni Senador Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada ang pagkakaloob ng libreng matrikula sa mga kawani ng gobyerno na kumukuha ng master’s degree sa mga state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Inihain ni Estrada ang Senate Bill No. 2277, ang panukalang “Government Employees Free MA Tuition in SUCs Act,” upang gawing libre ang tuition sa mga SUCs ng mga career at non-career na empleyado ng gobyerno na nais makapagtapos ng dalawang taon na masteral program.
“Ang mga kawani ng gobyerno ay may mahalagang papel sa human resources ng bansa kaya’t importante na mabigyan sila ng mga oportunidad na maitaas ang antas ng kanilang edukasyon at kasanayan. Sa pagpapahusay ng propesyonalisasyon ng mga empleyado ng gobyerno, mas magiging epektibo ang paghahatid ng serbisyo sa publiko,” ani Estrada.
Ayon sa senador, may ilang ahensya na nagbibigay na ng scholarship grants tulad ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at Presidential Communications Office (PCO) sa mga kwalipikadong kawani na nagma-masteral.
“Marami empleyado sa ibang sangay ng gobyerno ang nagnanais na magpatuloy ng kanilang edukasyon para mapahusay ang kanilang personal na paglago, maisulong ang pag-angat sa kanilang karera at makapaglingkod sa publiko nang mas epektibo,” sabi ng senador.
Aniya, ang mga matataas na posisyon sa gobyerno na ibinibigay sa mga kawani na mayroong master’s degree ay upang masiguro na ang kawani ay may kakayahan sa pagganap ng kanilang responsibilidad at makagawa ng naayong mga desisyon para sa kanilang organisasyon.
Batay sa Inventory of Government Human Resources (IGHR) ng Civil Service Commission (CSC) noong Hunyo 30, 2022, mayroong kabuuang 1,820,457 na career at non-career employees sa gobyerno.
Ang gastusin sa pagkuha ng masteral degree ay nasa P800 hanggang P1,500 bawat unit o nagkakahalaga ng P19,000 hanggang P50,000 ang tuition para makakumpleto ng 24-unit program.
Bukod pa dito, may iba pang kaakibat na bayarin para sa pagtatapos ng nasabing programa.
Para maging kwalipikado sa panukalang batas, ang mga non-career contractual government personnel ay dapat nasa serbisyo ng hindi bababa sa limang taon at pumasa sa entrance examination at iba pang admission at retention requirements ng SUCs. Ang mga nagawaran na dati ng mga government-sponsored graduate education scholarships sa anumang higher education institution, pampubliko man o pribado, dito o sa ibang bansa ay hindi na kwalipikado.
Bukod dito, ang mga bigong makatapos ng kanilang master’s degree sa loob ng prescribe period ng kanilang graduate education program ay madi-disqualify.