Cebu City College ordinance okayed

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has passed on final reading an ordinance seeking for the establishment of a higher learning institution for the poor but deserving constituents.

The ordinance authorizes the appropriation of P5 million initial funds to operate the Cebu City College.

The college will absorb the nursing program offered by the Cebu City Medical Center in partnership with the Cebu Technological University and will be the only baccalaureate degree to be offered by the school. The rest of the courses will be vocational.

The vocational courses to be offered are those courses recognized by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

“There is an increasing demand for technical-vocational graduates in the county and abroad due to the increasing demands for skilled labor. It is deemed appropriate to establish an institution that would absorb and merge the existing notable educational programs of the city, as well as, create programs that would meet the demands for skilled labor,” the ordinance reads.

Choosing vocational courses instead of normal courses is so as not to compete with other universities and colleges already offering the program and are known for it.

The City Scholarship Program will remain for students who want to take up courses other than what the City College would offer.

The college shall be sourcing its funds from the tuition and miscellaneous fees, the subsidy from the city government, national government, foreign governments if available, private persons, private organizations and institutions either local or foreign and other sources that are allowed by law.

It will be governed by a board that shall consist of the city mayor as chairman, college president as the vice chairman, chairman of the council committee on education along with the regional director of the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education- Cebu City division superintendent, TESDA provincial director and three representatives from the private sector as members.

After the passage of the ordinance, the governing board shall be convened to do specific tasks that will lead to the establishment of the college.

The board shall first draft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the creation of the Cebu City College, designate the heads of department, faculty members and other officials and employees and set-up an educational program, among others.

The city treasurer will be the ex-officio treasurer. The college will be subjected to the Commission on Audit examination. — (FREEMAN)