Education laws

The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines recognizes the right of all citizens to a quality education (Art. XIV Section 1), and it stipulates that elementary education should be compulsory for all children of school age, that is, from age 6 to 11 years old (in Section 2 (2)).

Furthermore, the State is mandated to “establish and maintain a system of free public education in the elementary and high school levels” (Section 2(3)). This means that public school pupils and students are not to be charged tuition fees. Republic Act No. 6655 of 1988 is especially important in this regard. While the Education for All Philippine Plan of Action (EFA-PPA) emphasizes the need to ensure universal basic education that addresses concerns such as access, equity, quality, relevance, and sustainability, the Act establishes and provides for a system of free public secondary education.

The Education Act of 1982 governs the entire educational system, including formal and non-formal systems of education. Whereas Section 9 of the Act enumerates the rights of students and pupils, Section 12 enjoins parents to enable their children to obtain elementary education and to strive to give their children a secondary and higher education. Furthermore, Section 19 recognizes formal education as the primary learning system.