House allows students to choose review centers

UNIVERSITIES and colleges in the country are now prohibited from forcing their students from enrolling in a preferred review center of the said higher education institutions (HEIs).

This transpired after the House of Representatives approved House Bill 3546, or Protection of Students Right to Enroll in Review Centers Act of 2010 on third reading.

The said measure, which will cover all public and private HEIs, as well as local colleges and universities offering courses that require professional licensure examinations, forbids HEIs from compelling students enrolled in courses requiring professional examination to take review classes, which are not part of the curriculum, in a review center of the school’s choice.

Also, House Bill 3546 disallows HEIs from making such review classes a prerequisite for graduation or completion of the courses and forcing students to enroll in a review center of the school’s choice and to pay the corresponding fees that include transportation and board and lodging.

Withholding 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 the students to attend a review center of the HEI’s choice is also deemed illegal under the said bill.

“In recognition of the students freedom to choose his/her review center, the following acts by HEIs will be considered unlawful. The state recognizes the complimentary roles of public and private institutions in the enhancement and strengthening of the educational system, it is also the responsibility of the state to ensure the protection of students against possible abuses by Higher Education Institutions in relation to the right of students to choose their review centers,” the Committee Report on House Bill 3546 said.

Any school official or employee, including deans, coordinators, advisers, deans, professors and other concerned individual who will be found guilty of violating the “Protection of Students Right to Enroll in Review Centers” will face the penalty of prision correccional or imprisonment from six months and one day to six years and a fine of P750,000. Moreover, (s)he will be suspended from his/her office and will have his/her professional license be revoked.

Furthermore, the Commission on Higher Education can impose disciplinary actions against a school official or employee violating this Act pursuant to Section 13 of Republic Act 7722, or the Higher Education Modernization Act of 1994. –LLANESCA T. PANTI REPORTER, Manila Times