Engineering, architecture, nursing, accounting to be five-year courses

The Commission on Higher Education (Ched) announced yesterday that starting next school year, courses such as engineering, architecture, nursing and accounting will be a five-year college course.

Ched chairman Dr. Emmanuel Angeles, the vice chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Education, said the move was part of the PTFE recommendation to President Arroyo in a bid to bolster the government effort to improve the country’s education system.

He added that the PTFE has also recommended the adoption of a 10+2+3 formula in reforming the country’s education system: 10 years of elementary and secondary education, two years for pre-university and three years for baccalaureate.

Asked why the PTFE focused on the four college courses, Angeles said they only formalized the prevailing situation wherein students taking the four courses have to complete it for almost five-years.

He said completing the course under the revised curriculum would be cheaper, contrary to the belief that the additional year would entail additional expense to parents.

He also said students will have more time to study under this new curriculum.

Angeles said the current nursing curriculum requires enrollment in three summers for students to complete the course.

On the adoption of the 10+2+3 formula, the Ched chief expressed belief that graduates under this system would be globally competitive and internationally acknowledged.

He lamented that under the current system our engineering graduates are only considered as technicians when they apply for overseas employment.

Angeles said the PTFE’s 21-page report containing its recommendations to Malacañang has cited the urgent need for reforms at all levels of the country’s educational system to keep up with international standards.

“The Philippines is one of only two countries which require only 10 years of basic education. The other country is Botswana. In other countries, basic education now spans 12 years,” he said.

Angeles also disclosed that PTFE has also proposed the implementation of a two-year pre-university or pre-specialization under a “polytechnic system” at the college level.

This would mean that, for two years, students would be provided skills which could immediately land them jobs should they choose not to pursue further college education which would take at least another three years. –Jason Faustino, Daily Tribune