SEN WIN GATCHALIAN'S STATEMENT ON CALLS TO REVIEW FREE HIGHER EDUCATION LAW. We have seen a rise in the number of basic education students attending college since the passage of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (Republic Act No. 10931), also known as the free higher education law. Between 2018 and 2022, when the government enacted the Free Higher Education Law, the country's progression rate from senior high school to college increased to an amazing 81%. Prior to the adoption of the Free Higher Education Law in Academic Years (AY) 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, the rates of advancement from high school to college were 54% and 62%, respectively.
This demonstrates that the free higher education bill was successful in promoting youth participation in higher education. The free higher education statute, like other laws, is being reviewed in order to enhance its implementation. A national screening test to assess student eligibility for free tuition, on the other hand, is unnecessary because state and municipal institutions and colleges already have their own entrance examinations. Furthermore, basic education students are subjected to a variety of assessments, such as the National Admission Test (NAT), the Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Assessment (ELLNA), the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI), and the Basic Education Exit Assessment (BEEA), among others.
At the moment, the government's top priority is to increase the capacity of our public colleges and universities. This is to guarantee that our State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) have enough classrooms, facilities, labs, and professors and that students who pass college entrance exams are not denied admission due to low capacity. Going forward, please know that I am dedicated to ensuring that the law is effectively implemented and funded so that it can benefit more kids.
