Improving SUC and LUC compliance with QA standards

(Last of 2 parts)

In my last column, I said public higher education is free in more than 200 state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs), but is there quality education in these institutions?

The CHED data on degree programs with Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC) were below 50 percent during the post-COVID-19 period, and some SUCs had zero COPC.

This means that the government has been giving free public higher education without guaranteeing that students are enrolled in quality-assured degree programs.

Quality Assurance (QA) requires quality and standards in universities so that students, parents, employers and the country can have confidence in their degrees and education. A COPC is a small but integral component of QA. If a degree program cannot even meet minimum standards, the expected student outcomes and competencies are questionable.

The authority of CHED to exercise reasonable supervision by mandating minimum standards is unquestioned.

But implementation has remained problematic.

Congress has noted this and included special provisions in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 General Appropriation Acts (RA 11936, 11975 and 12116) requiring CHED to evaluate and rationalize all existing programs of SUCs and evaluate requests to open new degree programs to determine if they fall within the core mandate of the SUCs.

PBBM asserted in his 2024 speech at the National Education Summit that “mandates must be attached to merit” and that democratizing access to education must not lead to lowering academic standards. He added that “scholastic yardsticks are not moveable goalposts which we change every year to improve our numbers. These must be regarded as firm benchmarks that are resistant to pressures that seek to undercut the quality of education.”

These instructions prompted CHED and the PRC to issue another Joint Circular (No. 1), which framed COPC compliance within the context of outcome-based education and quality assurance.

The compliance deadline was Sept. 9, 2025. After this date, graduates from degree programs without COPC will not be allowed to take the licensure examination.

Good news, bad news

The good news is that CHED has been trying its best.

All CHED-recognized LUCs (more than 100 of them) that receive government subsidies under the Free Higher Education law have 100 percent COPC compliance across all programs.

The bad news is that there are still unrecognized LUCs that offer degree programs without COPC. Closing these programs is difficult due to political pressure.   

For SUCs, the good news is that “COPC” is now a buzzword and has become mainstream in SUC lingo. SUCs announce on social media every COPC-awarded degree program. SUCs that achieve 100 percent COPC compliance post large tarpaulins on their campuses to inform their educational stakeholders that their course offerings comply with CHED standards and that their graduates are eligible to take licensure examinations.  

Another piece of good news is the emergence of outstanding public universities, such as Central Philippines State University, which started with a COPC of 0 and achieved 100 percent COPC under president Nonoy Moraca. Two regions in the Visayas – Region 6 and NIR – achieved 100 percent COPC across all SUCs, largely due to the aggressive efforts of CHED regional director Raul Alvarez.

Some SUCs have clearly outperformed others. The exceptional performance of Iloilo Science and Technology University (Dr. Gabriel Salistre), Caraga State University (Dr. Rolyn Daguil), Don Mariano Marcos State University (Dr. Jaime Manuel), Biliran Province State University (Dr. Vic Canezo) and West Visayas State University (Dr. Bebong Villaruz) in licensure examinations shows that forward-looking university presidents who push their schools toward 100 percent COPC compliance, enforce strict standards for faculty recruitment, prioritize research and invest in technology will continue to deliver strong results. 

The bad news is that many SUCs have not achieved 100 percent COPC compliance.

Non-compliance has impacted numerous students, including architecture graduates at Palawan State University, who missed the licensure exam because their appeal was submitted to CHED on exam day. This led to an investigation by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and calls for the PSU president to resign due to inaction. In response, the PSU Board closed 68 degree programs to comply with CHED standards.

What needs to be done?

CHED and PRC must strictly enforce their Joint Circular and facilitate the closure of non-compliant degree programs by not allowing graduates to take the licensure examination. The September 2025 deadline has passed. Allowing the offering of non-compliant degree programs and tolerating appeals from SUCs will set back the gains already achieved over the past three years.

Congress should require CHED and PRC to report on COPC compliance (as stated in the GAA special provision) and hold them accountable when they request their annual budget from Congress.

Some SUCs argue that achieving COPC compliance requires funds they do not have. The facts contradict this claim. Many SUCs hold unspent funds from FHE reimbursements and income-generating activities. Ultimately, political will from the president and the Board is needed to simplify and close non-compliant programs. 

The argument by some SUCs that their non-compliant degree programs should not be closed because graduates still pass the licensure exam lacks merit. This result reflects students’ perseverance, not the quality of instruction. Students can pass the licensure exam despite poor quality education.

Unless full compliance is achieved, complaints from private schools will stand and the government under the Marcos administration will have failed to protect the interests of students and their parents.