Raise CHEd standards

I MAY not represent the hundreds or thousands of students who flocked to the regional offices (ROs) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to apply for a slot under its Students’ Financial Assistance Program (StuFAP), but I’m quite sure that I share the same feeling of panghihinayang (disappointment over lost opportunity) with them because we all went through the same experience.

StuFAP is meant to help deserving students entering college as freshmen make a dream come true. In order to qualify under this program, a student-applicant must have scored in the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) a GSA (general scholastic aptitude) of at least 85 percent (half merit) or 90 percent (full merit), and a GWA (general weighted average) of at least 80 percent.

When I learned about this, I called CHEd’s Regional Office 4-A and inquired about the program. However, I was told that I could no longer avail myself of the StuFAP because it was past the deadline for the filing of applications and, besides, the program could only accommodate a limited number of scholars. In effect, I was turned down.

We know that the budget for programs like StuFAP can’t be unlimited. My point is: the CHEd, knowing the program’s budget limitations, should have set higher qualification standards, say, a GSA of 90-95 percent, and a GWA of 85-90 percent.

Or, maybe, the CHEd could ask private entities to help us young dreamers.—MARK KAISER CZAR M. RIVERA,[email protected]