CHED orders 32 schools to close deficient courses

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has directed 32 schools to phase out or close academic courses or programs found deficient after intensive monitoring and evaluation conducted from January to May this year.

CHED Chairman Dr. Patricia Licuanan also announced that 299 academic courses have been voluntarily phased out by colleges and universities after these were found by CHED to be “non-compliant”.

CHED had withdrawn outright its recognition of two schools due to non-compliance with CHED policies and standards.

Of the 32 schools ordered to phase out deficient programs, 20 were nursing schools or programs while two were maritime courses.

The commission has refrained from identifying the erring schools, in line with an earlier declaration of Licuanan that there was no need to name the schools. This position has led to student groups namely the Kabataan party-list group and the National Union of Students of the Philippines to denounce the commission, accusing it of coddling or protecting the erring schools by keeping them anonymous, allowing a situation where students and their parents will unwittingly enroll in the deficient programs.

CHED launched the drive to eliminate these deficient academic courses so it can assure parents and students that “courses they enroll in and pay for are recognized by CHED and operating legally”.

Licuanan urged the general public to enroll in recognized higher education institutions that offer academic courses that are compliant with CHED standards and policies to stand a better chance of getting good jobs and getting their diplomas and academic competencies recognized by employers.

She also encouraged the public to report schools still offering non-compliant college courses to CHED regional offices where these schools are located.

CHED is currently monitoring around 405 course offerings of various colleges and universities all over the country that have noted deficiencies and vowed that those courses that will still be found deficient or non-compliant before the end of the first semester of academic year 2011-2012 will also be phased out or closed.