House OKs bill regulating off-campus educational activities

MANILA – The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure seeking to regulate the conduct of off-campus educational activities by both public and private schools.

During Monday’s plenary session, a total of 202 lawmakers voted in favor of House Bill 8737, or the proposed Off-Campus Education Act. Six lawmakers voted against the bill, while no one abstained from voting.

The bill states that off-campus educational activities are curricular or non-curricular activities undertaken outside the premises of the institution.

It further states that no off-campus non-curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular educational activities shall be undertaken unless they are relevant and aligned with the educational competencies of the curriculum, or necessary to the acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills, and values of the learners.

Participation in such activities shall be voluntary and in no case shall the inability to participate in the off-campus activity constitute a failure to complete any requirement or in any way put the learner at a disadvantage.

It seeks to mandate the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to identify and accredit venues or destinations where educational institutions may hold off-campus activities.

In the accreditation of off-campus venues, destinations, and activities, the respective government agencies should consider the suitability of the venue or activity in relation to the program requirement and learning objectives; carrying capacity of the venue; sufficiency of amenities and other facilities for the comfort of the learners; and adequacy of protective protocols on site to ensure security and safety.

The bill requires that the conduct of off-campus educational activities shall primarily utilize the resources and transport equipment of the educational institutions concerned.

In case of absence or inadequacy of such resources and equipment, educational institutions may outsource their needs from accredited service providers.

The bill penalizes an educational institution which conducts off-campus non-curricular, co-curricular, or extra-curricular educational activities outside those accredited off-campus venues and destinations with a fine of PHP50,000 for the first offense; and PHP100,000 and suspension of all off-campus educational activities for not less than six months for the second offense.