ALMOST 1.6 million students are enjoying free education and no longer paying tuition, the Commission on Higher Education said.

“Sa Free Higher Education Program, close to 1.6 million students are no longer paying tuition and miscellaneous fees. The breakdown of that is about 1.3 million in the 112 state universities and colleges. And about 300,000 in the local universities and colleges,” CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III said.

For Academic Year 2020-2021, 500,000 students were provided subsidy, more than double the 200,000 slots provided when Republic Act 10931 or the free tertiary education law was passed.

The law allows students in state universities and colleges, local universities and colleges to study free of charge.

It also ensures full government subsidy for those who take technical-vocational courses.

De Vera said that there were also 300,000 Tulong Dunong beneficiaries as well as agricultural scholarships offered by the Department of Agriculture.