What is UniFast?

Introduction

Education is undeniably one of the most crucial aspects of a fast-evolving economy like the Philippines that requires highly skilled individuals. Therefore, higher educational institutions play a significant role in providing quality training. However, many students and families can't bear the exorbitant college and university fees.

That is why UniFast is a significant act that ensures the proper allocation and utilization of government resources for tertiary education. Furthermore, it is a landmark policy that encourages students to pursue and complete higher education.

What is UniFast?

UniFast (Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act), also known as Republic Act No. 10687, is a bill targeting equal access to quality education. The act is a strategic move to strengthen and allocate all government-funded modalities of StuFAPs for tertiary education.

Furthermore, it includes special-purpose education assistance in both private and public institutes. StuFAPs refers to student financial assistance programs that entail scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, and other financial aid that the UniFast board develops.

Besides, the UniFast law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) help to streamline StuFAPs at the tertiary education level. In fact, it aims to make education and financial aid effective, systematic, and politically neutral.

Core Objectives of UniFast

• Maintain consistency, continuity, and coordination of student financial assistance programs and policies.
• Ensure equitable distribution of student financial assistance slots to all the regions of the Philippines.
• Provide talent-based scholarships to develop proficient and competent graduates and technical experts. They must possess relevant skills and knowledge, enabling them to contribute to the country’s workforce.
• Proper distribution and utilization of all government resources for students through well-structured beneficiary targeting.
• Providing students with appropriate financial assistance through student loans.

Scope of UniFast

All programs that are in partnership with other stakeholders must conform to the policies and laws that the UniFast board establishes. Furthermore, national and local government agencies, branches, and instrumentalities implementing the programs must adhere to the set standards.

Also, a student who has enrolled in or is pursuing a first TVET, technical vocational educational training can avail of StuFAP modalities. Additionally, students can avail if they have enrolled for a master's or doctoral degree in a private or public institute.

As per the stated rules, the UniFAST will strengthen and refocus the ongoing StuFAPs of the government. However, a key condition is that none of the rules must hinder the continuation of effective programs, which must be in the agencies’ jurisdiction.

In addition, another key principle is that the beneficiary targeting and standards for the selection process must comply with the policies. Moreover, these policies relate to quality, sustainability, and effectiveness as per the Board.

Also, relevant government agencies must submit an annual report on the implementation of their StuFAPs to the Board.

Modalities of StuFAPs

Scholarship

The Board must establish a unified and extensive national government-funded scholarship program to foster and encourage students. Besides, the program will help to develop talented researchers, scholars, thinkers, leaders, and artists in the Philippines.

That is why the Board will establish policies and procedures to identify beneficiaries, depending on objective indicators from credible sources. However, beneficiaries of the ‘’Iskolar Ng Bayan Act’’ will get priority and must undergo the mechanisms for identification of beneficiaries.

The board will determine the amounts of the scholarships after considering the costs of various programs in top public and private institutes. Nevertheless, the scholarship amount must not surpass tertiary education’s actual cost.

Grants-in-Aid

Grants-in-Aid is a specialized financial aid program that facilitates equitable access to quality education for students belonging to poor and marginalized sections of society. Furthermore, the Board will establish policies and procedures to identify beneficiaries, depending on objective indicators from credible sources.

The national government’s poverty-based targeting schemes will determine the identification of grantees. Besides, the Board will determine the amount of the grants by considering the cost of various programs in top private and public tertiary educational institutes.

National Student Loan Program

The Board will establish an effective National Student Loan Program (NSLP), enabling qualified students to obtain short-term and long-term aid. In fact, it is one of the most sought-after financial assistance plans for tertiary education. It will follow a systematic evaluation mechanism that will look into the past and present student loan schemes.

Furthermore, the board will create an efficient organizational setup for the NSLP, whose management will execute key tasks. For example, it will implement the program and prevent overfunding of tertiary education costs. Also, it will incorporate accountability mechanisms, incentives, and sanctions for effective loan repayments.

Besides, the board will explore various mechanisms, such as strict evaluation methods and systematic testing, to reduce collection costs. Simultaneously, it will encourage private-sector participation to facilitate the best services and cater to NSLP needs.

Additionally, the top ten graduates of all public high schools will receive priority in terms of granting student loans. However, students must repay the loans in installments after they graduate or leave the institute.

Also, the Board will source educational loans from five percent of the total loanable portfolio of the Development Bank of the Philippines.

Other Modalities of StuFAPs

The Board will develop additional StuFAPs modalities; however, implementing agencies, HEIs, and TVIs must follow the standards and guidelines.

Eligibility Criteria for Applicants

Applicants should be Filipino students; however, the Board will grant exemptions to students in lieu of reciprocal programs. These programs provide similar benefits to Filipino students. For example, student exchange programs, international reciprocal scholarships, and other mutually beneficial programs.

• Senior high school graduates or graduates from other equivalent authorized institutions can apply for the financial aid programs. Nonetheless, these institutions must conform to K–12 programs. Also, college/TVET students or first-time enrollees in the Master’s and Doctorate programs are eligible.
• TVET-pursuing applicants must have at least ten years of basic education or its equivalent.
• Applicants must possess good moral character and should not have a criminal record, depending on the final judgment. However, the Board can renounce the criteria for programs that target learners who are in conflict with the law. Also, it includes learners who have undergone and are in rehabilitation.
• Applicants must have been admitted to the HEI or TVI that is included in the Registry of Programs and Institutions. Furthermore, they must start their application process as per the time that the board has set up.
• Applicants in TVET programs must pass the initial TESDA, profiling, assessment procedure, skills competency evaluation, or trade test.
• They must make a prior declaration if they are beneficiaries of other student financial assistance, such as government StuFAP. Furthermore, students can avail of StuFAP if the amount of the existing grant does not cover tertiary education’s full cost.
• Applicants must obtain the minimum score that the board has stipulated for the Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students. Also, they must score minimum marks in other qualifying scholarship examinations for specific courses.
• The Board will review the qualification criteria of applicants for student financial assistance. Hence, they may make changes accordingly.

Who is on the UniFast Board?

The UniFast Board, aka the Board, will undertake the responsibility of executing the tasks of this IRR, and it includes the following members:

• The CHED Chairperson as ex officio chairperson
• The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as an ex-officio co-chairperson
• The TESDA Director General, as an ex officio co-chairperson
• The Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd) as an ex-officio member
• A Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) representative as an ex officio member
• A National Economic and Development Authority representative as an ex officio member
• A National Youth Commission (NYC) representative as an ex officio member

Functions of the Board

• Develop and approve UniFast strategies and policies, and review existing policies to ensure consistency with the policy framework for RA No. 10687.
• Maintain regular communication and correspondence with the implementing agencies of existing StuFAPs to formulate and approve guidelines.
• Provide necessary support to implementing agencies to ascertain the effective implementation of this IRR.
• Develop, approve, and submit budget proposals to the CHED. Additionally, various implementing agencies must prepare and submit individual budget proposals. Also, it investigates, modifies, and integrates all requests for public funding of tertiary education StuFAPs.
• Maintain accurate records of budget proposals and accredited public and private tertiary educational programs through advanced tools like ADMS.
• Declare and promote minimum guidelines, regulations, and rules to determine the beneficiaries of student financial assistance for tertiary education.
• Provide general guidelines for developing contracts with the student beneficiaries, which determine the rights and obligations of the parties. Hence, it will include a service clause or other stipulations for cost recovery.
• The contracts will serve the best interests of the public and must be consistent with the national, social, economic, and human resources development plans.
• Monitor, assess, and develop impact evaluations of StuFAPs and projects to determine the efficiency of programs. Consequently, it will help to figure out if the board should adopt, continue, or terminate the programs.
• Incorporate a Qualifying Examination System for Scoring Students for merit and talent-based StuFAPs. It will help to determine the student’s eligibility for grants-in-aid, student loans, and other StuFAPs modalities.
• Develop an efficient tracking system that will help track student borrowers, the disbursement system, and the collection system of granted loans.
• The Board will conduct twelve regular meetings in a year; however, it will determine the frequency of the meetings four years after the implementation of this IRR.