4 out of 10 Filipino students drop out of college

According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), four out of ten Filipino college students do not finish their degrees despite the free tuition program.

The need to work (44%), lack of engagement (25%), and financial struggles (20%) are the primary reasons cited by students for leaving college, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

Attrition rates are exceptionally high in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at 93%, while Metro Manila and Central Visayas report rates of 52% and 61%, respectively.

EDCOM II Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee noted that many students struggle to balance full-time studies with the necessity of earning a living, suggesting that more flexible class schedules could help.

Lawmakers have also raised concerns that popular college programs like Business Education, Teacher Education, and Engineering have remained unchanged for 30 years.

Tracer studies indicate that graduates from these established programs do not always find stable or well-compensated employment, even as industries like software engineering, animation, and game development face talent shortages.