Section 78Sec./Art. 78

Requirements for Maritime Higher Education Institutions. - Consistent with Republic Act No. 844, otherwise known as "An Act Requiring Nautical or Maritime Schools To Have At Least One Training Ship Each", all MHEIs offering international maritime degree programs shall be required to have their own training ships, simulators, or other similar technologies, or shall directly enter into agreements with local or international shipping companies, shipowners, or manning agencies for the shipboard training program of their students or cadets.

MHEIs offering international maritime degree programs shall enroll or admit a sufficient number of students or cadets proportionate to the number of training slots in their own training ships, simulators, or other similar technologies, or the number of training slots that can be accommodated by the shipping companies, shipowners, or manning agencies based on their agreements with the concerned MHEIs: Provided, That upon passage of this Act, MHEIs shall give priority for shipboard training to students who have finished the academic requirements of their programs and signified their intent to avail of the shipboard training: Provided, further, That MHEIs shall accommodate all previous students who have finished the academic requirements of their programs who signify their intention to avail of the shipboard training: Provided, finally, That the MHEIs shall not charge the students any tuition or matriculation fees for the shipboard training, unless conducted in the MHEIs' own training ships.