SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian stressed the need to review the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or the free higher education law despite the rising number of students who enroll in college.

Gatchalian said that from 2018 to 2022, when the country implemented the Free Higher Education Law, the progression rate from senior high school to college surged to an impressive average of 81%.

In Academic Years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, the progression rates from high school to college stood at 54% and 62%, respectively.

“This goes to show that the free higher education law achieved its goal of increasing youth participation in higher education,” Gatchalian said.

The senator said a review of the free higher education law would help improve its implementation.

Gatchalian opposed a national screening test to determine the eligibility of students to avail of free tuition, saying state and local universities and colleges already have their own admission exams.

“At this point, the urgent concern for the government is expanding the capacity of our public colleges and universities. This is to ensure that there are enough classrooms, facilities, laboratories, and teachers in our State Colleges and Universities and that students who pass college entrance tests are not denied admission because of limited capacity. Moving forward, rest assured that I am committed to ensure the law’s efficient implementation and funding, and that it can benefit more students,” he said.