Bill protecting students' right to choose review centers approved

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure protecting the right of students to enroll in review centers of their choice in preparation for licensure examinations.

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño, author of House Bill 3546 or the “Protection of Students’ Rights to Enroll in Review Centers Act”, said the measure seeks to eliminate the practice of some schools of compelling their graduates to enroll in a particular review center and withholding their scholastic documents if they refuse to do so.

“The controversial nursing board exam in 2006 brought to the fore not only the problem of cheating conducted by some nursing review centers but other irregularities as well,” Casiño said.

“The bill aims precisely to protect the rights of students to choose their own review centers. Any school which compels its students to take board review classes or study in a particular review center will be penalized and their permit to operate revoked,” he said.

Negros Oriental Rep. Henry Pryde Teves, also an author of the bill, said there were cases where universities and colleges are performing things that are entirely opposite to their ideal purpose such as taking full advantage of their authority and conduct their undertaking like a business rather than as a profession.

The bill covers all public and private higher educational institutions (HEIs), including local colleges and universities offering courses that require professional licensure examinations.

The bill provides a penalty of six years imprisonment and a fine of P750,000 for violations of unlawful acts such as compelling students enrolled in courses requiring professional examinations to take review classes, which are not part of the curriculum.

The bill also prohibits educational institutions from forcing students to enroll in a review center of the school’s choice and to pay the corresponding fees that include transportation as well as board and lodging and the withholding of the transcript of scholastic records, diploma, certification or any essential document of the student to be used in support of the application for the professional licensure examinations so as to compel students to attend in a review center of the HEI’s choice.

Co-authors of the measure include Reps. Juan Edgardo Angara (Aurora), Neri Colmenares (Bayan Muna party-list), Raymond Palatino (Kabataan party-list), Antonio Tinio (ACT Teachers party-list), Rafael Mariano (Anak Pawis party-list), Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi De Jesus (Gabriela party-list).