Scholarships and the Realities of Access to Higher Education 

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) proudly announced its target: more than 394,000 senior high school graduates are expected to enroll in college for Academic Year 2026–2027. Chairperson Shirley Agrupis highlighted that 20,000 scholarship slots will be available for the first semester, alongside the Presidential Merit Scholarship for the top five percent of graduating classes. Students may also seek assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.  

On paper, the initiative sounds promising. It signals government intent to expand opportunities for higher education. Yet beneath the optimism lies a harsher reality.

In the Philippines, not every child completes elementary school, and many who finish high school cannot afford college. Even those who manage to enroll often drop out, compelled to work and support their families. 

Education—meant to be a bridge to a better future—has become a luxury beyond the reach of ordinary Filipinos.  

This is where the numbers demand scrutiny. If nearly 400,000 students are expected to enroll, is 20,000 scholarship slots truly sufficient? What happens to those outside the top five percent? 

How about the children of farmers, jeepney drivers, or market vendors who may not qualify under “priority fields” defined by government programs? 

Education should not be a privilege reserved for the few; it must remain a right accessible to all.  

The challenge, therefore, is not merely to provide scholarships but to ensure that every student has the capacity to finish their studies. When young people are forced to abandon education in favor of immediate livelihood, dreams are deferred and opportunities lost. 

If education continues to drift farther from the masses, the nation’s future will remain shackled to poverty.  

Ultimately, this issue is not about statistics alone. It is about the future of every Juan and Maria who hope that a diploma will unlock a better life. If government promises cannot guarantee this, then they ring hollow.  

Let us remember: the true wealth of a nation is not measured by the number of scholarship slots, but by the assurance that every child has a fair chance to graduate and begin a brighter tomorrow. 

Because in the end, education is not just about diplomas—it is about sustaining our ‘palabigasan’ the livelihood and dignity of Filipino families.