ILOILO CITY, Philippines — A survey conducted by Dr. Rex Casiple, chief education program specialist of the Commission on Higher Education-Region 6, noted a significant decrease in Bachelor of Nursing enrolment but an increase in the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture enrolment.
Conducted last July, the survey was done among 17 of 25 nursing schools and 11 of 23 schools offering BS Agriculture in Western Visayas, particularly in Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Negros Occidental provinces.
Casiple said the research-survey showed an average decrease of 34 percent in the total enrolment of BS Nursing from Academic Year 2010-2011 to 2011-2012, even if there was an increase of 56 percent in the enrolment of first year BS Nursing over the same period.
"Some of the reasons why high school graduates shifted to other courses instead of nursing were low employment trend of graduates, oversupply of nurses, their parents' choice, high cost of tuition fee and other fee charges for the nursing program, among others," Casiple said.
On the other hand, the Agriculture program recorded the highest increase than other courses in college. Survey conducted in schools offering BS Agriculture showed an average increase of 35 percent in total enrolment, and an average increase of 66 percent for first year enrolment.
Casiple said, for school year 2010-2011, the total enrolment in Agriculture and Fisheries was around 5,000, but the current enrolment trend, five years may not be enough for Agriculture to become a popular course for incoming college students.
"There was an increase of Agriculture takers because of a number of scholarships and loan programs for the course," Casiple said, adding that students may have seen good employment and business prospects for the course over the next 10 years.
CHED-6, under Director Virginia Resurreccion, has been promoting Agriculture as one of commission's priority courses to new college students, thru scholarships and loan programs.
Meanwhile, enrolment data from 152 colleges in Western Visayas showed business education on top with 51,000(25 percent) followed at far second by Teacher Education with 26,000 (13 percent).
Closely behind were medical-related courses with 25,000 (12 percent), Information Technology with 24,000 (12 percent), Maritime Education with 22,000 (11 percent), Engineering and Technology with 19,000 (10 percent), Law and Criminology with 13,000 (6 percent), Arts and Sciences with 12,000 (6 percent) and Agriculture and Fisheries with 5,000 (3 percent). - THE FREEMAN