32 schools told to junk sub-standard courses

TAKING stern action against erring higher education institutions (HEI), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has directed 32 colleges and universities to phase-out or close their deficient courses after monitoring and evaluation showed they are not adhering to the standards and guidelines of the Commission.

Government recognition of two HEIs was also withdrawn due to non-compliance with CHED polices and standards, according to CHED Chairperson Dr. Patricia Licuanan.

The move to phase-out the said degree programs came up after an intensive evaluation by the Commission from January to May this year following the directive of President Benigno Aquino 3rd to rid of sub-standard degree programs being offered by HEIs in the country.

Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) topped the list with 17 HEIs while the National Capital Region (NCR) has two schools though still on the Commission’s initial listing.

Licuanan also disclosed that 299 non-compliant academic courses being offered by colleges and universities the previous academic year have been phased-out this year.

Among these include 20 Bachelor of Science in Nursing and two Maritime degree programs.

Nursing schools are currently more than 450 from the previous 128 in 1991 but many of them do not have the required base hospitals, laboratories, libraries and qualified faculty members.

However, statistics from CHED revealed that only 12 nursing programs are recognized as excellent with an annual passing rate of 90 percent, while another 18 were identified as highly performing in terms of board performance.

The Commission have earlier said it is looking at 33 maritime schools whose performance are wanting in the licensure examinations administered by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) for the past five years.
There are about 103 HEIs at present offering maritime programs nationwide.

Percentage of maritime graduates who passed the PRC-administered exams have gradually declined from a high of 73.47 percent in 2002 to 62.02 percent in 2003; 42.35 in 2004; 45.52 in 2005; 48.18 in 2006; 47. 88 in 2007; and 51.41 in 2008.

Meanwhile, monitoring of the other 405 academic courses also found to have some deficiencies are still ongoing.
“Those still found to be deficient or non-compliant before the end of the first semester of academic year 2011-2012 will likewise be phased-out or closed, and not allowed to be offered in the second semester,” CHED Legal Office chief lawyer Carmelita Yadao-Sison said.

The official however clarified that HEIs ordered to phase-out or close their deficient academic offerings will not be allowed to accept new enrollees— but those in second, third and fourth years will be allowed to finish their schooling.

“Gusto ko lang i-clarify it’s not that isasara ang eskuwelahan ang isasara ay ang program na hindi compliant so hindi na sila papayagang tumanggap ng mga bagong enrollees pero yung nasa second year pataas ay papaya–gang makapagtapos.”

For the two HEIs whose recognition were withdrawn, the school will be ordered to transfer their student to other institution offering the same program that they enrolled in.

Yadao-Sison said the Commission is open to studying whether to re-issue the recognition upon compliance.
There are 2, 254 public and private HEis including 110 state universities and colleges and their 423 campuses scattered around the country. Also included are 94 local universities and colleges. –MARIA NIKKA U. GARRIGA, Manila Times