Campus

CHED lists in-demand, priority college courses until 2018

Louis Bacani - The Philippine Star

May 26, 2014 | 6:22pm

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is advising incoming college students to go for "priority courses" for them to get financial assistance and to land in-demand jobs that could help spur economic growth.

The agency has updated its list of priority courses that were identified based on national development plans, manpower demands until 2018 and a study of the Department of Labor and Employment that determined the in-demand and hard-to-fill courses, skills and jobs that match the projected employment requirements of key industries until 2020.

"Ito (priority courses) 'yung mga kailangan na kailangan ng mga industriya para ma-spur yung economic development," CHED executive director Julito Vitriolo said in an interview.

According to the new list, the priority courses are those in the fields of agriculture, engineering, science and math, information technology, teacher education, health sciences, arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, business administration, architecture, maritime and communication.

There are also specific priority courses identified for each region. In Metro Manila, for instance, the list includes library science, values and technical teacher education, astronomy, food technology, pre-dentistry, political science, real estate, accounting technology, customs administration, management and criminology.

Excluded from the CHED list are oversubscribed courses such as nursing and hotel and restaurant management.

"Generally, ito yung mga courses na siksikan na. Kung hahanap kang trabaho, medyo marami kayong maghahabulan," Vitriolo said.

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No CHED assistance for non-priority courses

Vitriolo is encouraging students to take up these priority courses if they want to avail of the primary student financial assistance programs (StuFAP) of CHED: scholarships, grants-in-aid and student loans.

Graduates or graduating high school students in public and private schools with a general weighted average (GWA) of at least 85 percent are qualified for scholarships, which could be anywhere between P15,000 and P30,000 per academic year.

Those with a passing GWA in high school and college students with a passing grade for the last two semesters could get financial assistance worth between P6,000 and P12,000.

College students with family income less than P300,000 will also be given a loan of P15,000.

Vitriolo said for the coming school year, CHED will spend about P6.7 billion for 340,000 to 350,000 StuFAP slots.

But he clarified that those who will not choose among the priority courses will not be qualified for CHED's assistance programs.

"Hindi ka namin bibigyan ng scholarship. Wala kang financial assistance," Vitriolo said.

So for those who would want to take up nursing, for instance, Vitriolo said they should just pursue related priority courses such as health science, medical technology and pharmacy to get a financial assistance.

(For application procedures and documentary requirements for the StuFAP, visit this CHED page)

For national development

Vitriolo stressed that pursuing the priority courses will not only enable students to get financial assistance and in-demand jobs in the future, but it will also give them the opportunity to contribute to the country's development.

This is because the priority courses are needed by the economy and they support the government's development agenda, Vitriolo said.

"Pagkakataon nila ito para makapag-aral ng libre at para makatulong din," he said.

Echoing Vitriolo's statements, the director of the CHED Office of Student Development and Services said the priority courses are aligned to the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan, the country's economic blueprint which adopts a framework of inclusive growth.

"This strategy will allow the student financial assistance programs beneficiaries to enroll in undergraduate courses that will provide positive impact on national development goals," Dr. Isabel Inlayo said in an email.

Here's the full list of CHED's priority courses until school year 2017 to 2018:

1. Agriculture and Related Fields