Secretary Emmanuel Angeles, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), enunciated his plans for the higher education sector in several fora. One of these fora was the 2009 Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) General Assembly held in Cebu on June 24. I devoted my column last week to the first part of his speech. This is the second part.
Improving performance of children at the basic education level is also important because this would have immense impact on the quality of students entering tertiary education. Hence, providing appropriate attention to the administration of relevant achievement tests (say NAT, NCAE among others) is equally imperative.
Strategic reform measures and safety nets at various levels of education have to be properly installed to provide the needed catch-all mechanism for all students including perhaps, the out-of-school-youth to address access and equity issues/concerns in education.
CHED mandates and vision for higher education
The trifocalization of education in the Philippines has created the CHED in 1994, which plays a pivotal role in ensuring that we produce globally competitive professionals in the priority disciplines/fields. Pursuant to R.A. 7722, CHED is mandated to perform the following tasks:
1. Promote quality education at all levels;
2. Take appropriate steps to ensure that education shall be accessible to all; and
3. Ensure and protect academic freedom for the continuing intellectual growth, the advancement of learning and research, the development of responsible and effective leadership of high-level and middle-level professionals and the enrichment of historical and cultural heritage.
Armed with the above mandates, CHED formulated the Philippine Long-Term Higher Education Development Plan: 2001-2010 which defines the vision for higher education in the Philippines. Said vision affirms the role of the higher education system as an enabler in achieving the country’s human resource development goals.
The enabling intent is reflected in the various systems and procedures, policies and programs that ensure the availability of human resources with the competence to bring about the desired national growth and sustainable socioeconomic development.
CHED’s modernization program
For 15 years now, CHED has been implementing various high-impact programs and projects designed to achieve its VMG. Recent developments in the global world, however, demand a more aggressive approach to accelerate our country’s human resources development efforts. Hence, CHED formulated a Modernization Program approved by PGMA during the Cabinet meeting held on May 26, 2009, which defines strategic thrusts as follows:
A. Massive faculty development for HEIs
According to a 2007 CHED survey, out of the total 125,834 higher education faculty in the country, only 35 percent have master’s degree while only a meager 10 percent have doctorate degree and the remaining 56 percent only have bachelor’s degree. This is considered as one of the major pitfalls of Philippine higher education.
In response to the demand for competent faculty at the collegiate level, CHED is currently implementing a massive Faculty Development Program.
This program intends to upgrade the teaching and research competencies of faculty members at the master’s and doctorate levels from both public and private HEIs. Our plan of action: we intend to train 31,000 faculty over a period of 10 years to have at least 70 percent of our total faculty population earn a master’s or doctorate degree. Thus, to realize this goal, 6000 slots will be available to qualified faculty to earn their master’s or doctorate degree, which will be replenished every 2 to 3 years for a period of 10 years. Note that 6000 is only 30 percent of Vietnam’s 20,000 faculty scholarships.
Of the 6000 slots with a total funding of P8 billion, 4000 slots will be committed to master’s degree programs in local institutions, while the remaining 2000 slots will be allotted for doctoral degree programs in local or foreign institutions.
B. Massive student assistance program
CHED intends to broaden access to higher education opportunities especially for the margina-lized members of society.
Hence, the current 60,000 scholarship slots available at CHED will be expanded to 200,000 to target about 10 percent of the total higher education enrolment over a period of four years. Thus, we now have 260,000 scholarship slots available to our poor but deserving students. We will devote P14 billion and will apportion it into P2.8 billion per year for the next five years.
We must see to it that all regions of the country are being served with these scholarship slots based on their enrolment or student population. Each region shall be served with 10 percent of its total enrolment per school year. For example, Ilocos region will be given 13,000 scholarship slots since it has a projected enrolment of 130,000 this school year.
This will be a great opportunity for our students to continue higher education, without being intimidated by the looming financial dilemma.
C. Facilities upgrading for HEIs
CHED supports the strengthening of private and public higher education institutions that demonstrate the highest level of standards in teaching, research, and extension as part of its modernization program. Under this program, 130 top-performing HEIs will be identified for direct assistance via upgrading of their instructional facilities.
(The third part of CHED chair Secretary Emmanuel Angeles’ vision for higher education in our country will be in this column on August 1.) –Felizardo Y. Francisco, Manila Times
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