COCOPEA supports K+12 Reform

MANILA, Philippines - Dr. Jose Paulo Campos, chairman of the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), president of Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAPSCU) and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), reiterated that COCOPEA and its member associations have given full support to the K to 12 Reform and agreed that this reform is critical to our nation’s advancement, in the formal opening of the 4th National Congress on Feb. 28 at the Quadricentennial Pavilion, University of Sto. Tomas, Manila.

In his welcome address, Dr. Campos reported that on the legislative area, three bills were filed in the Lower House and two in the Senate, all of which are aimed at lengthening the Basic Education cycle. The K+12 Basic Education Reform is among the 12 priority bills of the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council.

According to him, COCOPEA agrees that quality in higher education is the central issue and concurs in principle with an Outcomes-Based Quality Assurance reform. This will allow the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to focus on the higher education institutions (HEIs) with more serious deficiencies and strictly enforce minimum standards.

Also, Dr. Campos mentioned that COCOPEA initiated a dialogue with the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) and the Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU) to address immediate concerns of private and public education institutions.

“Over 2,000 private HEIs and 5,000 Basic Education Institutions provide quality education to over four million students.

“Private Education directly contributes in excess of P100 billion to GDP annually. This amount does not include any valuation of the contribution of its graduates which are the primary contribution of an education institution to society and the key driver of our national development. External remittances by our overseas workers and more recently, the growth of the business process outsourcing industry are only two of the more highly visible manifestations of the economic benefits contributed,” he said.