SEN. Christopher Go has filed a proposed measure mandating private higher education institution (HEIs) to waive college entrance exam fees to underprivileged students who belong to the top 10 of their graduating class.
In filing Senate Bill No. 1708 or the Free College Entrance Examinations Act of 2023, Go said waiving the entrance fees will give deserving students the chance to enter private HEIs since the cost of quality education is continually on the rise.
Under the proposed measure, a student will become eligible as beneficiary if he or she is a natural-born Filipino, a graduating high school student or high school graduate who belongs to the top 10 of their graduating class, and seeks to be admitted into private HEIs within the country.
The student must also belong to a family whose combined income falls below the poverty threshold as determined by the National Economic Development Authority and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Go said this will further democratize access to college education in private HEIs.
“The exemption from the imposition of entrance examination fees is one such mechanism that shall give adequate assistance and equal opportunity to these students to pursue their dreams of obtaining a college education,” Go said.
Go earlier reintroduced SBN 1190 which seeks to expand the application of the Special Education Fund (SEF) to other needs of the public education system by amending Republic Act No. 7160 or the “Local Government Code.”
The measure provides for the expansion of the application of the additional 1 percent Special Education Fund tax to other items related to education such as the construction and repair of libraries, and payment of salaries, allowances and other benefits of teaching and non-teaching personnel, to name a few.
According to Go, the proposed amendment will make the use of the fund less restrictive and will allow LGUs to maximize their resources to adopt new education policies and learning techniques that are necessary.
