On Friday, Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero announced that Republic Act (RA) 12006, or the Free College Entrance Examinations Act has now been fully enacted.
The formerly proposed bill obliges private higher education institutions (HEIs) to waive college examination fees and charges for eligible students who come from impoverished backgrounds. Escudero considers the enactment to be a significant milestone for people who are in pursuit of higher education.
"This is another milestone in our quest to make education accessible for everyone. Now, we can look forward to a more equitable and inclusive educational landscape. RA 12006 stands as a testament to the power of Executive-Legislative collaboration and the unwavering dedication to providing quality education for all," Escudero said.
The newly signed law waives students from paying examination fees and charges, considering they meet the required measures. Under the law, only those who are a natural-born Filipino student belonging to the top 10 percent of their graduating class, and part of a family whose combined household income falls below the poverty threshold or cannot afford to provide the minimum basic needs certified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
Eligible students may be given exemption once they also meet all the other requirements stated by their chosen private HEI.
Private HEI officials and employees who refuse to comply with the said requirements would be given sanctions by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), as stated by the law.
"Certain entrance exam fees are equivalent to a day's minimum wage, which means that taking the exam could result in foregoing meals for an entire family. Hopefully, the new law will address this issue. No family should go hungry for a day because they've traded food money for an examination fee," Escudero emphasized.
