'No permit, no exam' prohibition law has safeguard for private schools

MANILA – A leader of the House of Representatives said Wednesday the law prohibiting the "'no permit, no exam" policy would relieve disadvantaged students of financial constraints and allow them to focus on their studies despite unpaid dues, while protecting the interest of private schools.

During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, House Committee on Basic Education and Culture chairperson Roman Romulo said the newly signed Republic Act (RA) 11984, or the "No Permit, No Exam" Prohibition Act, has a safeguard that provides a balance between ensuring the students' education and keeping schools afloat.

Romulo was referring to the law's provision mandating the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to issue the necessary certificate on the disadvantaged status of the student due to calamities, emergencies, force majeure (uncontrollable events), and other good or justifiable reasons.

He said this certification would allow students to take exams if they cannot afford to pay yet, while also protecting private schools from potential exploitation of the new legislation and closure due to anticipated operational costs.

"Again, at the end of the day, gusto po nating matulungan lang iyong estudyante at matulungan din po iyong paaralan na makolekta rin po nila iyong tuition fee sa pamamagitan ng tulong ng national government. Ang importante, tuloy-tuloy po iyong buong academic calendar ay matapos po ng estudyante," he said.

(Again, at the end of the day, we want to help the students, as well as the schools to collect the tuition fee with the aid of the national government. What's important is for the student to finish the whole academic calendar.)

Romulo said the government could incorporate interventions that link up underprivileged students with scholarships and financial assistance to help pay their dues under the law's implementing rules and regulations.

"Maraming programa ang ating national government tungkol sa mga educational scholarships, educational assistance kasama na po diyan iyong DSWD pati iyong mga local governments mayroon din. Ang gusto po natin ay tulungan po iyong pamilya para mabayaran po nila iyong tuition fee na hindi pa nila mabayaran doon sa kanilang mga schools. Talagang ayaw po natin na mag-close up or mawala iyong private schools," he said.

(The national government has various programs providing educational scholarships, educational assistance, including those from the DSWD and the local governments. What we want is to help families pay for tuition fees that they can't pay to schools. We don't want private schools to close down.)

RA 11984 covers all public and private basic education (K to 12) institutions, higher education institutions, and technical-vocational institutions.

Under RA 11984, all public and private educational institutions are mandated to accommodate and allow disadvantaged students with unpaid tuition and other school fees to take the periodic and final exams without requiring a permit.

In the case of K to 12 students, the mandate will be for the entire school year, according to the new law.

All covered public and private educational institutions found guilty of violating RA 11984 will be subject to administrative sanctions that may be imposed by the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. (PNA)