CHED endorsement now needed for review centers' operations

Review centers in Central Visayas would not be allowed to operate anymore without an endorsement from the Commission on Higher Education-7, and other needed permits.

CHED-7 announced this matter recently in compliance with President Gloria Arroyo's Executive Order No. 566, issued last September 8, granting CHED supervisory powers over all review centers in the country.

Section 4 of EO 566 states that no review center would operate without a CHED endorsement. The order also tasked CHED to supervise these centers in the wake of the controversial leakage in the recent nursing board examinations.

Dr. Joy Jumaoas, an official of CHED-7, said the regional office had already started inspecting review centers in Cebu and in other parts of the region, in compliance with Arroyo's directive.

The inspection involves assessment of facilities and review materials, which would lead to upgrading the status of these centers in Central Visayas, said Jumaoas.

CHED-7 also planned to set guidelines for integrity and transparency among review centers in the region to erase doubts that some of them have been sources or conduits of leakage in board examinations, the official said.

Jumaoas assured the public that CHED-7 would conduct continuous monitoring of these centers to ensure evenhanded operations. - Flor Z. Perolina/RAE