APRIL 9, 2014

NR # 3431B

Magna Carta for Students pushed

Lawmakers are pushing for the passage of the Magna Carta for Students Act of 2014 that seeks to recognize protect and promote the rights of students! "ep! #iosdado $#ato% Macapaga& Arro'o and "ep! (&oria Macapaga&)Arro'o are authors of the proposed Magna Carta for Students contained in *+ 2,-0 now under stud' and consideration .' the *ouse Committee on *igher and /echnica& 0ducation! Consistent with the o.1ecti2es of Artic&e 3444 of the 4nternationa& Co2enant on 0conomic Socia& and Cu&tura& "ights 54C0SC"6 the proposed Magna Carta seeks to ensure the right of student to 16 admission and 7ua&it' education8 26 organize among themse&2es8 96 participate in schoo& po&ic')making8 46 free e:pression and information8 ;6 academic freedom8 and <6 due process in discip&inar' proceedings among others! /he primar' intent of *+ 2,-0 is to set forth in une7ui2oca& terms the rights and responsi.i&ities of the student)'outh from the secondar' &e2e& to the post)secondar' and tertiar' &e2e&s of education inc&uding 2ocationa& and technica& education #ato Arro'o stressed! Likewise the proposed statute comp&ements other pro)'outh &aws that ha2e .een enacted in the past &ike "epu.&ic Act =o! -1<0 otherwise known as the Loca& (o2ernment Code of 1>>1 which pro2ides for 'outh decision)making in the Sangguniang Kabataan and their ex-officio mem.erships in a&& &oca& go2ernment Sanggunians! 4t is a&so re&ated to "A =o! <<44 which &owers the age re7uirement for &oca& e&ecti2e officia&s8 "A =o! <,0> which emancipates the 'outh at the age of 1,8 "A =o! -0-> for the Campus ?ourna&ism Act8 and "A =o! ,044 which creates the =ationa& @outh Commission 5=@C6! /he proposed statute%s far reaching significance cannot .e undermined and its enactment wi&& .e a testament to the profound rea&it' that the future &eaders of this nation wi&& definite&' come from the ranks of our d'namic progressi2e and nationa&istic students the authors pointed out! Artic&e 3444 of 4C0SC" pro2ides thatA /he State)Barties to the present Co2enant recognize the right of e2er'one to education! /he' agree that education sha&& .e directed to the fu&& de2e&opment of the human persona&it' and the sense of its dignit' and sha&& strengthen the respect for human rights and fundamenta& freedoms! /he' further agree that education sha&& ena.&e a&& persons to participate effecti2e&' in a free societ' promote understanding to&erance and friendship among a&& nations and a&& racia& ethnic or re&igious groups and further the acti2ities of the Cnited =ations for the maintenance of

peace! Likewise Section 19 Artic&e 11 of the 1>,- Constitution pro2ides thatA /he State sha&& recognize the 2ita& ro&e of the 'outh in nation).ui&ding and sha&& promote and protect their ph'sica& mora& spiritua& inte&&ectua& and socia& we&&).eing! 4t sha&& incu&cate in the 'outh patriotism nationa&ism and encourage their in2o&2ement in pu.&ic and ci2ic affairs! Among others the .asic guiding princip&es pro2ided in the proposed measure in pursuit of its goa&s inc&udeA a6 /he education s'stem .eing the principa& institutiona& mechanism for imparting know&edge and de2e&oping ta&ents and ski&&s sha&& .e gi2en priorit' attention and support .' the go2ernment8 .6 0ducation is a right and not a mere pri2i&ege! 4t is therefore the responsi.i&it' of the State to pro2ide 7ua&it' education for a&& Di&ipinos accessi.&e at a&& &e2e&s! *+2,-0 pro2ides that no student sha&& .e prohi.ited from taking a periodic or fina& e:amination .ecause of unpaid tuition and other schoo& fees not e:ceeding two 526 insta&ments under the esta.&ished terms of pa'ment prescri.ed .' the schoo& concerned and appro2ed .' the appropriate go2ernment agenc'! /he student with de&in7uent fees permitted to take an e:amination sha&& ne2erthe&ess .e su.1ect to the right of the schoo& concerned to withho&d the re&ease or issuance to these students their schoo& records or of the documents mentioned in preceding section or to den' these students admission at the succeeding semester term or 'ear unti& the prior de&in7uencies are fu&&' paid! 4n2o&untar' contri.utions are a&so prohi.ited e:cept those appro2ed .' their student organizations! /he measure a&so pro2ides for the responsi.i&ities of students inc&uding that of upho&ding preser2ing and maintaining the good name of their alma mater and to e:ercise the mentioned rights responsi.&'! /he #epartment of 0ducation sha&& create a mu&ti)sectora& .od' composed of representati2es from the #ep0d the schoo&%s administration and the student .od' to monitor the different schoo& campuses to ensure that the student rights are protected! Ehen there is a fina& finding of the schoo&%s wi&fu& and repetitious infringement of student%s right the .od' sha&& recommend to the proper agenc' of the #ep0d measures appropriate to the situation 4nc&uding when necessar' the suspension or cance&&ation of its &icense or permit to operate the schoo&! 5906 dpt