Whether right or left-handed, students will no longer have to worry about having a proper desk in a new law signed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte signed the Republic Act No. 11394 or the “Mandatory Provision of Neutral Desks in Educational Institutions Act” on Aug. 22 but a copy of the document was given to the media on Wednesday (Aug. 28).
Under the law, the state requires educational institutions to provide appropriate armchairs to address the needs of all students, including the left-handed student population.
The law is meant to “promote equal development of students including those who are left-handed.”
“It shall be obligatory for all educational institutions, both public and private, that make use of armchairs in the classroom to provide neutral desks to all students,” the law read.
According to the law, a neutral desk refers to a table or an armchair that is suitable for both right-handed and left-handed students.
It requires institutions to provide neutral desks equivalent to 10 percent of the student population within one year from the effectivity of the law and after this period, they should be required to provide neutral desks to all students.
The Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will be tasked to formulate the rules and regulations including administrative penalties for schools that do not comply.
Meanwhile, Duterte also signed the “SUCs Land Use Development and Infrastructure Plan (LUDIP) Act” or Republic Act No. 11396 which requires state universities and colleges (SUCs) to prepare and implement a land use development infrastructure plan that includes the construction of dormitories for students and housing sites for employees. (Azer Parrocha/PNA)
