Law Summary
Basic State Policy
- Establish and maintain a complete, adequate, integrated education system.
- Education must contribute to economic development, social progress, national unity.
- Promotes right to quality education without discrimination.
- Recognizes cultural communities' right to develop within their cultures.
Educational Objectives
- Provide broad general education fostering individual potential and social participation.
- Train middle-level skilled manpower.
- Develop professional leadership for knowledge advancement.
- Ensure education responds to changing national needs.
- Instill love of country, citizenship duties, moral character, scientific and vocational efficiency.
- Extend education to deprived communities for inclusion and national unity.
Educational Community
- Includes parents/guardians, students, pupils, teaching/academic staff, school administrators, academic non-teaching and non-academic personnel.
- Schools must foster cooperation among community members and other societal sectors.
- Promote parents’ role in youth education.
- Safeguard students’ welfare and rights.
- Improve social/economic status and working conditions of school personnel.
Rights of Parents
- Organize for discussion of school programs.
- Access children’s official educational records.
Rights of Students
- Receive relevant quality education.
- Choose field of study and progress subject to academic and disciplinary rules.
- Access guidance and counseling services.
- Access own school records and prompt issuance of credentials.
- Publish student publications and invite speakers.
- Free expression and communication channels with school authorities.
- Form and join recognized organizations.
- Free from involuntary contributions unless approved.
Rights of School Personnel
- Express opinions freely and communicate with authorities.
- Free legal services for public personnel when charged related to duties.
- Form and join labor/professional organizations.
- Free from involuntary contributions except those internally imposed.
Special Rights of Teaching Staff
- Exempt from compulsory non-duty tasks unless compensated.
- Intellectual property rights.
- Recognized as persons in authority in lawful duties, entitled to respect/protection.
- Career advancement opportunities.
Special Rights of School Administrators
- Given administrative discretion.
- Recognized as persons in authority entitled to respect/protection.
Rights of Schools
- Governing boards control governance.
- Higher education institutions regulate admission, faculty, subjects academically.
Duties of Parents
- Support educational objectives through cooperation.
- Ensure children obtain at least elementary education, strive for higher education.
Duties of Students
- Maximize potential and develop service orientation.
- Uphold academic integrity, obey rules.
- Maintain school peace and harmonious relations.
- Participate actively in civic and national development.
- Exercise rights responsibly.
Duties of Teachers
- Discharge duties aligned with school philosophy and goals.
- Accountable for student learning outcomes.
- Report on student performance.
- Pursue professional growth.
- Maintain professionalism.
- Promote constructive societal change.
Duties of School Administrators
- Responsible for school administration and management.
- Promote environment conducive to academic freedom and relationships.
- Maintain professional conduct.
- Provide performance reports and counsel personnel.
- Ensure due process in discipline.
- Maintain records and submit reports.
Duties of Academic Non-Teaching Personnel
- Engage in professional improvement.
- Maintain professional attitude.
- Support service and learning atmosphere.
Formal Education Levels and Objectives
- Elementary: basic knowledge, social responsiveness, national identity, work orientation.
- Secondary: continuation of elementary goals; develop aptitudes and skills for work or tertiary education.
- Tertiary: provide national identity, train manpower, develop leadership, advance knowledge.
Specialized and Non-Formal Education
- Includes work education, technical-vocational, special education, non-formal education.
- Aims to eradicate illiteracy, provide vocational skills, and develop values for development.
School Establishment and Recognition
- Public schools established by law; private schools must incorporate as non-stock corporations except pre-schools.
- Recognition required for operation, with conditions and penalties for violations.
- Encourages voluntary accreditation beyond minimum standards.
School Organization
- Schools must organize internal governance and dispute settlement.
- Government colleges and private schools must have governing boards.
Personnel Regulations
- Government school personnel governed by Civil Service rules.
- Private school personnel disputes under labor law with special standards.
- Private schools must have internal dispute systems.
Financing Education
- National government funds public schools; local governments encouraged to participate.
- Financial aid extended to local public secondary schools.
- Local governments must allocate funds to public secondary schools.
- Proceeds from special education fund used as prescribed.
- Secondary and post-secondary schools may charge fees.
- Government institutions may generate income via grants, donations, and enterprise.
- Private schools funded by multiple sources including tuition, grants, investments.
- Government may assist private schools if standards met.
- Private schools determine fees subject to regulations.
- Private schools may receive donations and run auxiliary enterprises.
- Institutional funds may be pooled for resource generation.
Incentives
- State provides incentives to encourage community participation.
- Real property for education taxed at 15% of market value; proceeds go to a special fund managed locally.
- Gifts/donations for improvement exempt from tax with conditions.
- Earnings from scholarship fund investments tax-exempt if used for scholarships.
- Gains from disposition of school property reinvested per school dispersal program exemptions.
- Schools may convert to non-profit educational foundations under rules.
Student Assistance
- Government provides scholarships, loans, subsidized tuition, with reserved quotas for cultural communities.
- Educational institutions encouraged to grant scholarships.
- Private sector encouraged to support students financially for research and projects.
Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (MECS)
- Administers and supervises educational institutions.
- Headed by Minister assisted by Deputies.
- Organizational units include bureaus for elementary, secondary, higher, technical-vocational, continuing education, and cultural agencies.
- National Board of Education abolished; functions transferred.
Functions of MECS
- Formulate educational objectives, policies, plans.
- Develop and implement education and cultural programs.
- Promulgate rules and coordinate system activities.
- Work with agencies for cultural community development.
- Recommend legislation and report annually to Batasang Pambansa.
Board of Higher Education
- Advisory body to the Minister with appointed members.
- Recommends policies, governance improvements, resource generation for higher education.
Bureaus’ Functions
- Bureau of Elementary Education: program development and evaluation, teacher training.
- Bureau of Secondary Education: similar duties for secondary level.
- Bureau of Technical-Vocational Education: manpower collaboration, program evaluation.
- Bureau of Higher Education: program development, policy advice, data analysis.
- Bureau of Continuing Education: implements non-formal education for diverse learning needs.
Regional Offices
- Formulate regional education plans.
- Implement laws and policies regionally.
- Provide efficient services.
Penalties
- Operating schools without recognition: fines (P2,000-P10,000) and/or imprisonment up to 2 years.
- Administrative sanctions for mismanagement, inefficiency, fraud, violations.
- Sanctions protect interests of students, teachers, employees.
Rule-Making and Effectivity
- Minister authorized to issue implementing rules.
- Invalid provisions do not affect overall law.
- Repeals inconsistent laws.
- Effective upon approval.