Archives for June 2018

Aimed at informing the parents and students of the mechanics of the free college education, an orientation on Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act was held on June 7, 2017 at the University Multi-purpose Educational Center.

Dr. Karen Catalina G. Zaldivar, Educational Supervisor II and In-Charge of Scholarship, CHEd Regional Office VI, presented the salient points of the law. Dr. Zaldivar focused on the legal basis of implementation, the qualified beneficiaries, programs and institutions, the admission and retention policies as provided, the authorized fees and the tertiary education subsidy (TES) and other scholarships.

The Return Service System (RSS) Contractual Obligation of Students as one of the components of RA 10931 was also discussed.  Rule II, Section 4 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) mandated SUCs and LUCs to formulate and implement RSS for students-beneficiaries as part of admission and retention policies.

Dr. Raul F. Muyong, ISAT U President,  presented  ISAT U’s proposed guidelines and the drafted RSS Program Options.  Subject for the approval of the Board of Regents, the proposed guidelines state that each student will render fifty (50) hours of return service per semester or one hundred (100) hours per academic year. Included in the RSS program options are the following: campus clean and green, community outreach and extension, risk reduction and disaster mitigation and readiness, campus leadership, sports and cultural, tutorial and learning assistance, student assistantship or combination of any of  the approved option.

The query and suggestion of a parent on the inclusion of the services as Sangguniang Kabataan official as part of the program was noted. Dr. Muyong assured that the committee in-charged will give necessary attention to the matter.

The school’s opt-out mechanism was made clear to the parents and students. Under Section 8, Rule II of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 10931, ISAT U as an implementing agency has an obligation to formulate its mechanism to cater to students with financial capacity to pay for their education and who voluntarily decide to “opt-out” of the tuition and other school fees subsidy.

Dr. Muyong took the opportunity to remind students to be serious in their studies. “Be serious in your studies. You are very lucky to be admitted at ISAT U. There are more than 7, 000 applicants and only 2,500 were admitted and that includes you,” he said.

In the open forum, the parents and students were given chances to ask questions, clarify issues, erase doubts and give comments and suggestions on the implementation of Republic Act 10931.

 

The Gender and Development (GAD) with the Office of the Student Affairs and Services (OSAS) invited boarding house owners to a consultation and gender orientation on May 22, 2018 to establish a smooth and healthy partnership for students’ welfare.

With the help of the boarding house owners, the school identified problems and drafted plans of intervention to student’s activities detrimental to their studies. The issues raised were delay in payments, respect to house rules, cleanliness, manners and conduct, smoking and drinking, few cases of hazing and incidents of premarital sex. It was noted that the school could help in prevention or mitigation of such cases.

Dr. Maria Asusina Asuncion E. Echaverria, OSAS Director, said “problems and obligations should be identified and addressed for the welfare of the students.” She added that “this is the first consultation held to acknowledge the boardinghouse owners as stakeholders of student’s development.”

Mutual benefit for the students’ interests and boarding house business was also discussed. Prof. Pedro Fontanalgo, Legal Office Chief, laid out the plan to draft the guidelines for the issuance of a certificate of accreditation as legitimate partner of ISAT U. Once materialize, the OSAS will make recommendation of licensed and desirable boarding houses to students who are going to stay in the city during school days. In return the boarding house owners will notify the school on occurrence of identified problems. In such case, the GAD, the guidance counselors and the OSAS will make necessary intervention for the benefit of the students and the boarding houses.

It was further discussed that school’s responsibility is not only confined inside the campus but also outside of the school. It was bared that the GAD will be conducting visits to check the condition of the boarding houses.

Values formation in boarding houses was also given attention. Prof. Emily de la Cruz, GAD Focal Person, oriented the participants on the importance of gender and development in values formation, specifically in handling gender differences and the facilities that address their needs.