College entrance test might start next year

The planned national screening test for high school students who want to enter college, similar to the defunct National College Entrance Examinations, might be implemented starting next school year, said regional director Carolino Mordeno of the Department of Education.

Mordeno said top officials of DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education would soon tackle the plan that Education Secretary Jesli Lapus had presented earlier as one step to reverse the degrading quality of college education.

The Lapus plan would still be presented to the public for input but DepEd and CHED wanted to finalize its details before the end of this year so that it would be enforced in the next school year, said Mordeno.

Lapus, after his installation as the new Education Secretary, said the test would measure the students' skills and aptitude toward a certain course in college, and help determine what course would fit them.

Mordeno agreed with the rationale of the plan, saying, "College is good for those with better mental capacity. Not all who enter college can finish college."

Lapus said there should be "more exposure" of vocational and technical courses among students in both elementary and high school, adding that most students take courses that their parents want them to take.

"We want to tell them not to rule out vocational courses and train their eyes only on a college education. We want to open their eyes to other opportunities...that taking technical and vocational courses can lead one to higher paying jobs," he said.

DepEd would tap high school guidance counselors to hold seminars for students and their parents on what courses the youngsters could take in college based on the results of the screening test.

Many students have been enrolled in nursing and information communication technology courses only because these have been in great demand abroad.

In line with the Lapus plan, the CHEd and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority began implementing this school year a "ladderized system" of education in at least 168 schools around the country.

The "ladderized system" works as follows: 1) students acquire technical-vocational skills; 2) graduates apply for jobs and get employed; and 3) they could later earn a college degree, as the training they completed will be credited in the college course they would take. - Jasmin R. Uy/RAE