By Dr. Rex Casiple
Early this year the public was disturbed by the announcement of discontinuing the offering of Senior High School (SHS) program in state colleges and universities (SUCs) and in the local colleges and universities (LUCs).
The announcement was based on the previous directives that the engagement of SUCs and LUCs in basic education through senior high school was limited to the K to 12 transition period or from school year (SY) 2016-2017 to school year (SY) 2020-2021 only.
For this reason, beginning this SY 2023-2024 there will be no more government assistance to student beneficiaries enrolled in SUCs and LUCs, except to those entering Grade 12 since they still have to complete their basic education. However, SUCs and LUCs offering Teacher Education, with laboratory schools, can accept enrollees upon approval of their respective Board of Trustees (BOT) or Board of Regents (BOR).
Furthermore, they were urged to present to their respective Board the financial implication of the non- issuance of financial assistance for senior high school enrollees in SUCs and LUCs. And as stipulated in the K to 12 transition period, laboratory schools shall cap enrolment to 750 students only.
Some private higher education institutions (PHEIs) announced that they will also stop offering senior high schools (SHS) beginning next school year (SY) 2024-2025. However, SHS, or Grade 11 and Grade 12, shall continue to be offered in secondary schools under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Hence basic education, that includes kindergarten, elementary, secondary and senior high schools are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education. And based on the reports from the Department of Education, public schools under their jurisdiction can accommodate those that maybe displaced from higher education institutions (HEIs). Affected students may also transfer to private schools and avail of the SHS voucher program to subsidize their education.
On the other hand, parents are accountable for the education of their children. In our Constitution, these children have the primary right for quality education. Education is their gate pass to employment opportunities and to a quality life. For this reason the state has the policy to support disadvantage students in schools. In connection to this, on March 11, 2024 President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. signed the Republic Act 11984, or the “No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act”. The Act provides that all public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) are mandated to accommodate and allow Disadvantaged Students unable to pay tuition and other fees to take the scheduled periodic and final examinations without requiring an examination permit.
In 2010, the Department of Education (DepEd) urged all schools under its jurisdiction to allow students to take their examination and settle later their unpaid bills. This allowed students to finish their secondary education without delay. This triggered our lawmakers to pass such laws to help our students in college avail of the same benefits enjoyed by the students in the secondary level. This will ensure our college students to take examinations despite having unpaid financial obligations to their schools.
With this, financial difficulties will not hinder the disadvantaged students from complying their academic requirements on schedule.
Likewise, in 2008, the Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education (MORPHE) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) stipulated that no higher education institution shall deny final examinations to student who has outstanding financial or property obligations, including unpaid tuition and other school fees corresponding to the school term.
However, the institution may withhold the final grades or may refuse re-enrolment of such student. In case the final grades are withheld, the final grades shall be duly recorded and submitted to the Registrar together with the final grades of the rest of the students in the prescribed form.
These policies on No Permit, No Exam Prohibition is now a Law under RA 11984.
