(Rio Deluvio/MANILA BULLETIN)

Quezon City 4th district Rep. Marvin Rillo is prodding the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the Department of Education (DepEd) to “vigorously enforce” the law prohibiting the “no permit, no exam” policy.

In a statement on Sunday, April 14, Rillo says he is counting on both CHEd and DepEd to make sure that all schools do what is required to comply with the law.

“Effective compliance by schools will be best assured by strong enforcement,” he said.

Rillo, a vice chairperson of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education, gave these remarks ahead of the scheduled final examinations of most college students next month.

At around the same time, elementary and high school students are also set to take their quarterly exams.

Republic Act (RA) No. 11984, or the “No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act”, mandates all public and private schools to allow disadvantaged students to take their periodic and final examinations even if they have unpaid tuition and other fees.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is expected to promulgate the rules defining “disadvantaged students” and governing the issuance of a certification to that effect by municipal, city, provincial, and regional offices.

Rillo further said that both CHEd and DepEd were “duty-bound to take appropriate steps to ensure that education is accessible to all”.

Under the new law, educational institutions found guilty of violating the ban shall be subject to administrative sanctions.