On the universal access to quality tertiary education law: the effects of free tuition on enrollment
Date
2023-03-31
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Abstract
The paper explores the effectiveness of the free tuition implemented by the Free
Higher Education program in 2017 through the comparison on the rates of
enrollment. Data from the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS) conducted in
2016 and 2019 are used to empirically compare the significance of household
income in the decision of enrolling household members in a university. The
regression analysis conducted controls for factors available in the survey that
could potentially influence a household’s decision to send a Filipino to college,
such as scholarships and backgrounds of the parent. The study also covers the
analysis on the inclination of a household towards private or public universities.
The key findings of the study indicate that the current free tuition program is
ineffective in achieving accessible college education for Filipinos, and that it may
be benefitting higher income households. The results also imply that household
income is still a crucial element in determining whether or not to let a member of
the household receive college education.
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Keywords
education, free tuition, enrollment, college