THE HOUSE of Representatives approved on second reading a measure that will regulate off-campus educational activities by public and private schools.

House Bill 8737 or the proposed Off-Campus Education Act principally authored by Bataan Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III covers curricular or non-curricular activities held outside schools.

It mandates the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to identify and accredit venues or destinations where educational institutions may hold off-campus activities.

The measure requires the DepEd and CHED to designate government offices, local government units, and private entities as Knowledge Resource Destinations.

The measure defines KRDs as facilities or entities that have activated their social, natural, and human resources and established a learning program suitable for off-campus activities.

Once enacted into law, educational institutions and service providers that will conduct non-accredited off-campus activities will be fined P50,000 for the first offense and P100,000 for the second offense.