Last 2000, the Philippines, as a ratification of the vision set in the 1990 World declaration, committed itself to the following EFA 2015 Goals.

          Stated in Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016, the country’s vision is the inclusive growth and development entails investment in huan capital. Specifically, the investment in education, competitive technical vocational skills training, and relevant and higher education. Education, as one priority of the government, has produced active public-private partnerships over the year.

          However, some issues have been coming out, one of these is the issue regarding the entrance examination given by the colleges or universities. Students is pointing out the issue of Entrance Exam as a hindrance in meeting the goals of EFA. Students usually tell that entrance examination is one of their enemy in getting into colleges and universities they want. It is like their “dead end” in pursuing their dreams and their desires to be successful.What they know is that quality education is what they need to gain a college diploma and pursue dreams.

Will Entrance Examinations be their dead end? It is one of the questions that our government is trying to answer. Our President Rodrigo Duterte has been giving choices to universities and to students as well in terms of taking up into tertiary level. Our president has declared that tuition fees will no longer be paid as of school year 2017-2018 but students must show that they deserve such privelege.

In the Education for All program, entrance examinations were part of diagnosing the abilities of the students. Universities or colleges may use the results to help students to choose where success may lead them. Entrance examination is just a help for someone to find where they should belong. At this rate, Education is really intended for all.

By: Ericka Ablaña-Padal