KABATAAN Partylist vowed to continue its fight for accessible and quality education for all, even as the government committed to filling the ₱12.3-billion funding shortfall for the Free Higher Education (FHE) program covering 2022 to 2025.

The assurance came after persistent calls and actions by Kabataan Partylist and various state universities and colleges, urging the Department of Budget and Management to correct its computation of SUC budgets that led to the deficiency.

However, Kabataan warned that a projected ₱3.3-billion shortfall for 2026 remains unresolved, stressing the need for proactive measures to ensure continuous and adequate support for the FHE program.

“The fight is not yet over,” Kabataan Partylist said in a statement.

“While we welcome the government’s commitment to address the existing FHE backlog, we will continue to monitor, question, and push for a truly free, accessible, and quality education system,” it added.

The group stressed that the FHE program, which provides tuition-free education in SUCs, should not be undermined by budget miscalculations or delays, as these directly affect students’ right to education.

Kabataan reiterated its call for the institutionalization of sufficient, predictable, and timely funding for all public higher education institutions, adding that the youth movement will remain vigilant in ensuring education remains a top national priority.