CHED dares non-performing schools: Prove you meet standards

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Higher Education has challenged “non-performing” nursing schools in Cebu to prove that their quality of education meet the standards.

CHED chairman Emmanuel Angeles issued the challenge following claims from the schools included on the list of non-performing schools in the field of nursing that their inclusion by the Professional Regulatory Commission was a mistake.

Angeles said these schools have three years to prove before they could be ordered to close down their nursing program.

“Anyway, we are not closing yet, we’re just warning. They will be given the chance to improve for the next two to three years. If their graduates continue having poor performance, they will be advised to phase out, a gradual phase out,” he said.

He clarified that what they have issued so far was only a warning for the schools to perform better in the nursing board exam and not yet a closure order. A total of 147 nursing schools nationwide received the warning.

In Cebu, there were four schools that CHED reminded to improve their nursing program after the PRC noted that they failed to pass the 40.70 percent national rating for the past five years.

CHED however issued clarification on the inclusion of the University of the Visayas on the list. The commission earlier issued a warning to UV, Southwestern University, Benedicto College in Mandaue City and the Saint Paul College Foundation to improve their national passing percentage.

According to Angeles, what they have published was the performance of the UV main campus when it is no longer offering the nursing course. UV only offers nursing in its Banilad campus, which Angeles said is performing well. In fact, he said it has a passing percentage of 45.72 during the 2009 Board Examination for Nurses.

“These results are published by PRC. We are just supporting them to complete and publish the results of their latest position. The next part will be the accounting courses. We have to publish this so the public will know. One of the basis of quality education is the results of the licensure examination,” Angeles said.

He said that CHED intentionally published the names because they owe to inform the students and the parents which schools are performing well in their nursing programs and which are not so they will be guided properly.

Angeles said he does not want the parents to spend on substandard schools.

“They have to prove that they can improve their passing percentage to be fair to the students naman and their parents who are giving money to send their children there,” he added.

Angeles said they will do the same to non-performing schools in the field of Accountancy, Engineering, Education and other professional courses.    (FREEMAN NEWS)