Court stops CHED move against nursing schools

A regional trial court in Dagupan City recently stopped the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) from enforcing two controversial resolutions against low-performing nursing and medical schools.

Judge Rodolfo Mislang also ordered CHED to stop issuing media releases that are derogatory or damaging to 37 colleges and universities offering nursing courses.

Mislang favored the petition filed by Dr. MacArthur Samson, acting president of the University of Luzon, who got the support of the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities and the Lyceum Northwestern University (LNU) as petitioner-intervenors.

Lawyer Gonzalo Duque, LNU president, said CHED has endangered the viability of their institutions by enforcing Resolutions 120 and 475, which the petitioners claimed are "null and void," being contrary to law and "in violation of due process and equal protection of the law."

Resolution 120 sets a minimum passing percentage of 30 percent, which educational institutions must meet to retain their license to operate.

Resolution 475, on the other hand, sets the guidelines for the phaseout of nursing schools that have performed poorly in licensure examinations.