Free tuition is not absolute – Recto

College students must finish their courses on time if they want to avail of the benefits under the newly signed Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education law.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said the Republic Act (RA) 10931 sets strict conditions for the enjoyment of free matriculation, and mandates students to complete the course during the prescribed period.

“Walang forever na student sa batas na ito. Those who are ‘magnas’ or magnana-nine years na sa isang kurso, hindi pwede magavail ng free tuition (There is no forever for students in this law. Those who take nine years to finish a course will not be allowed to avail of free tuition),” Recto said in a statement Tuesday.

Citing Section 6 of the RA 10931, Recto said students in state-run universities and colleges (SUCs) and local government-funded university and colleges (LUCs), must finish the course within a year after the period prescribed in their program, or else they will be considered ineligible to avail of free tuition and miscellaneous fees.

The law also sets a “one-strike rule” for students in public technical vocational institutes (TVIs), that they will lose the privilege should they fail “in any course.”

“This means a student must maintain good academic standing at all times,” he said.

But Recto noted that the disqualification will be subject to the situation invoked by the students, and an extension may be allowed.

Those who have attained a bachelor’s degree or comparable undergraduate degree from any higher education institution and TVIs, whether public or private, are also barred from the program.

“Free tuition should not be loosely interpreted as it is free to all,” Recto said.

As with the students, Recto added that government schools also have requirements to meet before they can receive funds to cover tuition waivers.

“They must follow implementing rules and regulations. There are budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules that must be satisfied prior to fund release,” he said, citing Section 9 of the free public college education law.

Section 9 requires schools to establish a learner information system in accordance with the guidelines to be developed by Commision on Higher Education (CHED). This will facilitate the tracking of students and their performance.

They must also submit relevant information on school quality and performance to CHED Recto added.