Republic of the Philippines

EULOGIO “AMANG” RODRIGUEZ INSTITUTE OF

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
CAVITE CAMPUS
General Mariano Alvarez Cavite

GRADUATE PROGRAM
Masters of Arts in Education
Major in Administration and Supervision

Name: Karen P. Dollete

Subject: FS 104 – Legal Aspects of Education
Topic(s): Republic Act 6655 Free Public Secondary Education Act Of 1988
Professor: Dr. Agnes N. Coo

I. Objectives

1. Discuss the Republic Act (R.A.) 6655 entitled “An Act Establishing and Providing for a
Free Public Secondary Education and for Other Purposes.
2. Explain the contents of every section
3. Give insights and reflections on how this republic act help in the society nowadays.

II. Learning Content

The system of free public basic education has long been in existence in the Philippines. Free
and compulsory elementary education was established by the Malolos Constitution in 1899,
whereas free secondary education was formalized with the enactment of Republic Act No.
6655 in 1988.

Financing Education in the Philippines

            The Education department in the Philippines has the biggest share in the national
budget. The national government spends one-third of its total income to support the public
education up to SY 1970. However, by year 1980, decline on the national budget allocated for
the Education sector were observed with 12.1% and only 12.8% in 1992, 12% in SY 1994-
1995 and 14% of the national budget was allocated for the basic education, according to
EdCom Report.

Establishment of Republic Act 6655

Republic Act No. 6655 known as the Free Public Secondary Education Act of 1988
established and provided for a free public secondary education. Students enrolled in
secondary course offerings in the national high schools, general comprehensive high schools,
state colleges and universities, specialized schools, trade technical, vocational, fishery and
agricultural schools and in schools established, administered, maintained and funded by local
government units including city, provincial, municipal and barangay high schools and those of
public high schools which may be established by law shall be free from payment of tuition
and other school fees. (Sec 3.a.)

However, fees related to membership in the school community as identification cards, student
organizations and publications may be collected, provided that non-payment of these fees
shall not, in any case, be a bar to the enrollment or graduation of any student. (Sec 3.c.)

Implementation of R.A. 6655 (Sec 4)

•       Free public secondary education as provided in this Act shall commence in School Year
1988-1989.
•       Students enrolled in secondary course offerings in the national high schools, general
comprehensive high schools, state colleges and universities, specialized schools, trade
technical, vocational, fishery and agricultural schools and in schools established,
administered, maintained and funded by local government units including city, provincial,
municipal and barangay high schools and those of public high schools which may be
established by law shall be free from payment of tuition and other school fees. (Sec 3.a.)

•       Fees related to membership in the school community as identification cards, student

organizations and publications may be collected. (Sec 3.c)

•       Nothing in this Act shall cause or authorize the reduction or removal of any benefit which
the national or local government may have granted to the students, teachers, and other
school personnel of these public high schools prior to the enactment of this Act.

Formulation of a Secondary Education Curriculum (Sec.5)

•       DECS shall formulate a secondary education curriculum in order to upgrade its quality,
efficiency and access

•       Vocational and technical courses that will give the students gainful employment. As such
the curriculum shall have the following features:
(1)  Cognitive, affective, manipulative based, i.e., humanities, science and technology shall
form the cognitive dimension; moral, spiritual, social, political, aesthetic and work values, the
affective dimension; and work skills, the psychomotor dimension;
(2)  Consists of core subjects;
(3)  Includes the study of the Constitution;
(4)  Adheres to the bilingual policy. 
(DepEd Order 44 s.1988)

Limitation (Sec. 6)

The right of any student to avail of free public high school shall terminate if he fails for two (2)
consecutive school years in the majority of the academic subjects unless such failure is due to
some valid cause.

(1) Failure in one (1) 100 minutes and one (1) 300 minutes a week yearly subjects or three (3)
180 minutes or two (2) 300 minutes a week yearly subjects means failure in that curricular
year.

(2) "Due to some valid cause" means that the circumstances for such failures may be
attributed to reasons beyond the students’ control, such as illness, family instability, or
environmental disturbances.
(DepEd Order 44, s.1988)

Priority in Admission (Sec. 8)

Graduates of public elementary schools in a municipality shall be given priority in admission

when the present facilities in the same municipality cannot accommodate all of those applying
for enrolment in the public high schools.

Implementing Rules and Regulations (Sec. 9)

The Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations to implement this Act

Funding (Sec. 10)

The President is hereby authorized to realign or transfer any item of appropriation within the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports. and/or utilize any savings therein to carry out
the purposes of this Act. Whatever additional amount as may be needed for its
implementation shall be included in the General Appropriations Acts for the ensuing
 fiscal years.

General Appropriations Acts (GAA) – one of the laws passed by the Congress that refers to
the national budget of the Philippines. It tells how taxes, fees, and levies are collected,
where it is deposited, how funds are allocated and released, etc. But as a development tool,
the real value of the GAA rests on how the money of the taxpayers is allocated across the
thousand and one needs of the people. (The Freeman, Aug. 29, 2013)

Effectivity (Sec.12)
Approved: May 26, 1988
School year implementation: SY 1988-1989

III. References

Financing Education in the Philippines, San Mateo, Rosalinda A., Tangco, Maura G.,
Foundations of Education II (Historical, Philosophical, and Legal Foundations of
Education, 2003, Katha Publishing Co., Inc, 388 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City.
DepEd Order 44, s. 1988, http://www.deped.gov.ph/orders/do-44-s-1988, June 1, 1988
R.A. 6655, http://pcw.gov.ph/law/republic-act-6655, n.a.
General Appropriations Act
(GAA), http://www.philstar.com/freeman-opinion/2013/08/29/1147121/general-appropriations-
act-gaa by Villarete, Nigel Paul C., The Freeman, August 29, 2013.
Posted 3rd September 2017 by Miss Minchin