Main college courses to undergo reforms — Ched

Commission on Higher Education Chairman Emmanuel “Manny” Angeles said yesterday that courses like engineering, architecture, accountancy, pharmacy and physical therapy will undergo major curriculum reforms to be at par with current world standards.

Angeles also reaffirmed what President Arroyo mentioned in her State of the Nation Address about the government’s plan to implement the “10+2+3 formula” in reforming the country’s education system.

“Our educational system should make the Filipinos think not just for whatever job happens to be on offer today but also for whatever economic challenge lies in their way,” Arroyo had said.

Angeles said the program is part of the over-all effort under the “New Philippine Education Highway” to transform the country’s educational system into one that conforms to global standards.

“The move was to formalize the prevailing situation where students taking the said courses have to complete it for almost five years,” Angeles said.

Also, making the said courses five years would also allow the country to conform to international agreements such as the Bologna and Washington Accords that sets the standards for such courses.

Angeles said the Presidential Task Force on Education has recommended the adoption of 10+2+3 formula in reforming the country’s education system of which 10 years will be the elementary and secondary education plus two years for pre-university and three years for baccalaureate.

He added that the engineering, architecture, accountancy, pharmacy and physical therapy were actually a five-year courses and their inclusion in the new education formula is only to formalize its current status.

Angeles cited nursing course as an example wherein the current curriculum require enrollment on three summers for students to complete the course.

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

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

“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 lasts 12 years,” he said.

He moreover said eventually, all five-year degree courses with Professional Regulation Commission licensure exams will be covered by the 10+2+3 scheme.

He explained that completing a course under the revised curriculum would be cheaper contrary to belief that the additional one year would entail additional expense on the part of the parents.

He also claimed that students will have more time to study under this new curriculum unlike in the current system. –Jason Faustino, Daily Tribune