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Free Tertiary Education Now A Law

Not all parents can send their children to college due to lack of funds. This is why when President Rodrigo Duterte signed a bill granting free tertiary education in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs), most students are ecstatic about the good news.

Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act shoulders tuition and other school fees. However, there are qualifications that must be met to ensure that free college tuition is only given to deserving students. 

Under section 6 of RA 10931, the following students are ineligible to avail of the free tertiary education: 

a) In SUCs and LUCs

1. Students who have already attained a bachelor's degree or comparable undergraduate degree from any HEI whether public or private; 

2. Students who fail to comply with the admission and retention policies of the SUC or LUC;

3. Students who fail to complete their bachelor's degree or comparable undergraduate degree within a year after the period prescribed in their program. and

b) In State-Run TVIs:

1. Students who have obtained a bachelor's degree, as well as those who have received a certificate or diploma for technical-vocational course equivalent to at least National Certificate III and above. 

2. Students who fail in any course enrolled in during the course of the program. 

Students ineligible to avail of the free tertiary education shall be charged the tuition and other school fees, as determined by the respective boards of the SUCs and LUCs and in the case of the state-run TVIs, to be determined by the TESDA. 

Students loan programs will also be available alongside free tuition law to cover the cost of tertiary education. 

Section 8 states that "repayment shall be effected by incorporating a portion of the loan amount or a percentage thereof in the employee's monthly Social Security System (SSS) or Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) contribution, as the case may be, based on a reasonable schedule of repayment and interest rates, as may be formulated by the UniFAST Board.  

Payment of the loan amount will commence once the beneficiary secures any gainful employment with compensation, remuneration or earnings that reach the Compulsory Repayment Threshold (CRT). For purposes of this ACT, the CRT shall be set and reviewed by the UniFAST Board, and adjusted when necessary. 

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