Free college entrance exam bill doesn’t provide access to higher education
A BILL that seeks to waive college entrance exam fees in private institutions for poor Filipino high school graduating students does not really ensure access to a higher education degree, analysts said over the weekend.
House Bill 5001 or the proposed Free College Entrance Examinations Act was passed on third and final reading last week.
The bill aims to provide free college entrance exam in private institutions for the top 10% of the poor Filipino high school graduating students.
“The proponents of the bill can just convince the private universities but not force them,” Dennis F. Quilala, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines said in an email.
“Since the bill targets poor students, they would require a scholarship after passing the entrance exam,” he added.
“The bill is pointless as it does not ensure more students to earn a degree,” Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco, a political analyst, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “Not a lot of thinking and reflection was put into this bill.” — Kyanna Angela Bulan
