Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo has high hopes that Congress will soon enact the bill seeking to prohibit the oppressive “no permit, no exam” rule in all private and public educational institutions across all school levels.
“Before Congress adjourned on June 3, the Senate agreed on May 31 to the request made by the House on May 24 for a bicameral conference committee to harmonize our respective versions of the bill,” Rillo, one of the authors of the measure, said.
The House approved House Bill No. 6483 on final reading on December 12. The bill forbids the same rule in all private and public post-secondary technical-vocational schools, colleges, and universities.
“We don’t expect any problems in reconciling the House and Senate bills once Congress resumes session,” Rillo, House committee on higher and technical education vice chairperson, said.
“Once enacted, we are counting on the measure to reduce in a big way the number of students dropping out of school,” Rillo said, adding that parents would be encouraged to keep their children enrolled.
Under the proposed ‘No Permit, No Exam’ Prohibition Act, public and private schools would be forbidden from imposing any policy to prevent students with outstanding financial obligations from taking examinations or any form of educational assessment with the rest of the student body.
Students with unpaid tuition and other fees would be allowed to take their periodic and final tests with the rest of the student body, so long as their parents or legal guardians execute a promissory note to settle their obligations.
Under the bill, the school may withhold the release or issuance of grades, diplomas, or certificates, among other interventions, until the obligations are paid.
However, the grades, diplomas, or certificates of students with unpaid dues must be processed and recorded together with those of the rest of the student body.
The Senate approved Senate Bill No. 1359 on final reading on March 20. The bill prohibits the “no permit, no exam” rule in all private and public educational institutions across all school levels.
The House approved House Bill No. 6483 on final reading on December 12. The bill forbids the same rule in all private and public post-secondary technical-vocational schools, colleges, and universities.
The House separately approved House Bill No. 7584 on final reading on May 8. The bill bans the same rule in all private and public elementary and high schools.
