LIBRENG COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM APRUBADO NA

INIHAYAG ni Senador Chiz Escudero na inaprubahan ng Senado sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang isang panukalang batas na naglalayong ilibre ang pagbabayad sa college entrance examination sa lahat ng pribagong paaralan.

Kasabay nito, ayon kay Escudero, pinagtibay din ng Senado ang land use development law na sumasakop sa lahat ng state universities and colleges (SUCs).

Ayon kay Escudero, pangunahing isponsor sa Senado ng naturang panukalang batas na inatasan ng Senate Bill No. 2441, ang  private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) na i-waive  ang entrance examination fees at anumang bayarin sa kuwalipikadong estudyante na gustong mag-aral sa kolehiyo.

Inaamendahan naman ng   Senate Bill 1470,  ang Republic Act 11396 o ang  “State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) Land Use Development and Infrastructure Plan (LUDIP) Act.”

Ayon kay Escudero, nakakuha ng botong 22-0-0 ang inaprubahang   Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2441 o ang panukalang “Free College Entrance Examinations Act”, naglilibre sa pagbabayad ng entrance examination fees sa private higher educational institutions (HEIs) para sa disadvantaged graduates o graduating students na m malaking potensiyal sa academic excellence.

“This free exam can be a recruiting tool aimed at the best and the brightest,” ayon kay Escudero, chairperson n Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education  at isponsor ng SBN 2441.

“The fee that we’re waiving is minimal, and this bill is supported by the association of private schools as well,” giit ni Escudero.

Nakatakda sa Free College Entrance Examinations Bill na exempted ang estudyante sa pagbabayad ng examination fees at bayarin kung sila ay:    natural-born Filipino student; kabilang  sa 10 percent ng graduating class; at kung kasama sila sa pamilya na may mababang kinikita alinsunod sa itinakda ng    National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) o hindi kayang makabili ng    minimum basic needs na napatunayan ng Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“Students may avail of the waived entrance exam fees once they satisfy all other requirements specified by the private HEI,” ayon sa panukala.

Ayon kay Escudero, “the waiver would apply to any private HEIs within the country. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) would be given the authority to determine and impose sanctions against private HEI officials and employees who fail or refuse to comply with the proposed law.”

“Some entrance exam fees are equivalent to a minimum day’s wage such that taking the former will mean meals foregone. No family should starve for a day because food money has been traded for an examination fee,” giit ng senador.

Samantala, layunin naman ng SB 1470 na palakasin ang mekanismo para sa land use development and infrastructure planning  (LUDIP) at budgeting sa SUCs.