AN ACT ESTABLISHING AND PROVIDING FOR A FREE PUBLIC SECONDARY EDUCATION AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Case Overview and Summary

Summary of Republic Act No. 6655 (Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988)

Declaration of Policy (Section 2)
- The State shall provide free public secondary education to all qualified citizens and promote quality education at all levels.

Definitions (Section 3)
- Free Public Secondary Education: Students enrolled in public secondary schools shall be free from payment of tuition and other school fees.
- Tuition Fee: Fee representing direct costs of instruction, training, and use of facilities.
- Other School Fees: Fees covering necessary costs supportive of instruction, including medical, dental, athletic, library, laboratory, and Citizens Army Training (CAT) fees.
- Fees related to membership in the school community (e.g., ID cards, student organizations, publications) may be collected but shall not bar enrollment or graduation.

Implementation (Section 4)
- Free public secondary education shall commence in School Year 1988-1989.
- Students enrolled in public secondary schools shall be free from payment of tuition and other school fees, except fees related to membership in the school community.
- Existing benefits granted by national or local government prior to this Act shall not be reduced or removed.

Secondary Education Curriculum (Section 5)
- The Department of Education, Culture and Sports shall formulate a secondary education curriculum to upgrade its quality, efficiency, and access.
- The curriculum shall include vocational and technical courses to provide students with gainful employment.

Limitation (Section 6)
- A student's right to free public high school shall terminate if he/she fails for two consecutive school years in the majority of academic subjects, unless due to a valid cause.

Nationalization of Public Secondary Schools (Section 7)
- The establishment, renaming, conversion, integration, separation, administration, supervision, control, and payment of salaries, allowances, and fringe benefits of public secondary schools and personnel are vested in the Department of Education, Culture and Sports.

Priority in Admission (Section 8)
- Graduates of public elementary schools in a municipality shall be given priority in admission to public high schools in the same municipality when facilities cannot accommodate all applicants.

Implementing Rules and Regulations (Section 9)
- The Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports shall issue necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act.

Funding (Section 10)
- The President is authorized to realign or transfer appropriations within the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, and/or utilize savings to carry out the purposes of this Act.
- Additional funding needed shall be included in the General Appropriations Acts for the ensuing fiscal years.