CHED to shelve plan on additional years in college

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will not be able to implement the two-year pre-university level system for academic year 2009-2010.

CHED chairman Dr. Emmanuel Angeles III said that the agency has not been able to complete the curriculum for the pre-university level in time for implementation by colleges and universities this June.

Angeles said that changes had also been made in the program, with the two years being reduced to only one year.

“We’re still finishing the curriculum,” Angeles told The STAR in an interview.

Angeles said the curriculum for the one-year pre-university level could be ready for implementation by academic year 2010-2011.

CHED has started the process of implementing the pre-university level upon recommendation of the Presidential Task Force on Education formed by President Arroyo in January last year to look into possible reforms to address the deteriorating quality of education in the country.

Of particular concern in the study of the education sector was the non-recognition of Filipino professionals’ college diploma in other countries, especially developed ones.

In the CHED proposal, college-bound students would be required to take a scholastic aptitude test to clear them for entry into professional licensure courses such as engineering, accounting, nursing, and others under a “pre-university” level.

After hurdling the two-year level, students can then go on to three-year specialization studies for professional college programs of Engineering, Architecture, Accounting, Pharmacy, and Physical Therapy, and Occupational Therapy.

In the setup, Angeles said the education highway for students taking up courses regarded as professional licensure courses would be strict since their graduates are required to pass a Professional Regulation Commission exam to get a license to practice their chosen profession.

The setup would be a total of 15 years divided into 10 years of basic education curriculum (BEC) or elementary and high school, two years of pre-university and three years of university proper or “10 plus 2 plus 3,” CHED said.

Angeles said that there were plans to include the Nursing and Education programs in the so-called 10 plus 2 plus 3 education path.

This prompted heated protests among student groups opposing the additional years, especially for the nursing program.

In pushing for the pre-university plan, Angeles said the move would assure recognition of Filipino professionals in other countries, especially in developed countries, which have a standard 12 years of BEC. – Rainier Allan Ronda