Gatchalian asks CHEd: Probe ‘sale’ of degrees to foreign students

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Thursday asked the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) to investigate and sanction people involved in the alleged sale of diplomas or degrees to foreign students in the country.

He made the call following reports that some Chinese students in Cagayan are paying P2 million to obtain their degrees.

“CHEd must impose appropriate penalties or sanctions on HEIs (higher education institutions) and their officials who condone such practices,” Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on basic education, said in a statement.

“We should send a clear message to our country and the world: diplomas from Philippine HEIs are not for sale,”  he said.

READ: Some Chinese students in Cagayan allegedly pay P2 million to get degrees

While he said he supports the  “internationalization” in the Philippines’ HEIs,  the senator expressed  his  strong opposition on the practice of “allowing the proliferation of diploma mills in our country.”

“Selling diplomas or degrees undermines our efforts to improve the quality of education in the country,” he pointed out.

READ: AFP checking implications of increasing Chinese students in Cagayan

The alleged sale of degrees in Cagayan was revealed by University of the Philippines Professor Chester Cabalza, citing information from local professors in the province.

“It seems that Chinese students in Cagayan universities and colleges are said to have been paying P2 million to obtain degrees,” Calabaza was quoted as saying.

And many of these  students, he added, were not even attending classes.