As far as my memory could remember, it has been a long and common practice of schools and universities to implement a “NO PERMIT, NO EXAM POLICY” to students. As its name suggests, students are prohibited from taking their exams when they cannot present a permit to the examiners. Needless to state, a consequence thereto is the struggle of learners to, not only, instead study for their upcoming exams, but also find means of procuring a permit to take it.
Obviously, the economic conditions of the country is of no help either, as it remains bleak. Wages remains stagnant, prices of basic commodities continue to rise.
However, a solution might just have presented itself in a way of a bill that bans the aforementioned policy, which was approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. While it is clear that the bill prohibits the NO PERMIT, NO EXAM POLICY, it also prohibits schools from compelling students and their parents or legal guardians to pay a portion of the outstanding financial obligation. Moreover, incidental to such prohibition is a countermeasure that suggests to schools that instead of implementing the harsh policy of “NO PERMIT, NO EXAM POLICY”, they should rather enforce other interventions such as withholding the release of diplomas or certificates, denying admission or enrolment in the succeeding school year or semester, refusing the issuance of applicable clearances, and pursuing the settlement of outstanding financial or property obligations through appropriate legal action, so as to guarantee that the students’ financial obligations are settled. Such a countermeasure was surely set down in the bill also for the schools’ assurance, as some, if not all, relies upon the students’ tuition fees in order for it to operate. Suffice it to say, a provision that protects the vulnerability of schools.
It is high time that the Congress has enacted such a ‘significant’ bill, for it need not be reminded that it is also their constitutional duty to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education. And for the more reason, when living in a socity where there is so much social and economic deprivation. (AJDB)
