SENATOR Jose ‘Jinggoy’ Estrada wants to declare illegal the ‘no permit, no exam’ policy being employed by some schools.

The senator said that the students’ inability to pay their tuition and other fees should not be a hindrance to the completion of their education.

“Let us support our students who strive to finish their studies. Tulungan din natin ang kanilang mga magulang na nagsusumikap na sila ay magkaroon ng magandang edukasyon,” he said.

“Especially during these times that we are still recovering from the wrath of the Covid19 pandemic, there remains a large number of families who are still struggling to make both ends meet. Earning a living may be difficult, and yet they still give priority to the education of their children in the hope of a better and brighter future for them,” Estrada said.

“It is not easy to shift back to such a mode of learning after two years of being restricted by the pandemic. Hence, during these times and beyond, it is our duty to allow them to focus on overcoming the challenges of learning and not the cost of learning,” he added.

Estrada said that in the 16th Congress, he pushed for the enactment of the measure prohibiting schools from disallowing students unable to pay their tuition from taking their exams.

“Sa mga pagkakataon pong ganito, ang kailangan ng ating mga mag-aaral ay suporta, hindi panggigipit o diskriminasyon,” the lawmaker said.