Ahead of students' final and quarterly exams next month, Quezon City Rep. Marvin Rillo reminded the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to "vigorously enforce" the No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Law that took effect 31 March.
"We are counting on regulators to make sure that all schools do what is required to comply with the prohibition," Rillo, one of the principal authors of the new law, said in a statement on Sunday.
"Effective compliance by schools will be best assured by strong enforcement," Rillo, vice chairperson of the House committee on higher and technical education said.
Rillo made the statement ahead of the scheduled final exams of most college students next month as he expressed his expectation of the strong enforcement of the 'No Permit, No Exam' Prohibition Law by the two education agencies.
Elementary and high school students are also set to take their quarterly exams next month.
Rillo reminded both CHEd and DepEd that they are duty-bound "to take appropriate steps to ensure that education is accessible to all."
The new law reinforces the right of all citizens to education and compels all schools to allow disadvantaged students to take their periodic and final examinations even if they have unpaid tuition and other fees.
Under the new law, also known as Republic Act No. 11984, educational institutions found guilty of violating the ban "shall be subject to administrative sanctions" by regulators.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is expected to promulgate shortly the rules defining "disadvantaged students" and governing the issuance of a certification to that effect by municipal, city, provincial, and regional offices.
