PMI Bohol excluded

TAGBILARAN CITY ,Philippines  - Students taking marine and nautical programs offered by PMI Colleges in Bohol may not worry over the order of the Commission on Higher Education phasing out two courses in the school's campuses in Metro Manila.

PMI Colleges-Bohol, based in this city, was not included in the CHED closure order, said PMI director Misoro Salamera in an interview with The FREEMAN at his office.

Salamera said that he is just elated over the exclusion of the campus in Bohol, which he said is the pioneer for marine courses in the province.

A copy of such order furnished by Salamera showed that CHED en banc's Resolution No. 092-2011, as amended by Resolution No. 139-2011, closes down the courses, Bachelor of Sciences in Marine Transportation and BS Marine Engineering, of PMI Colleges in Manila and Quezon city campuses.

The order effective second semester of schoolyear 2011-2012 was issued due to "consistent failure of the school to comply with the standards of the said programs in accordance with the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) and the CHED requirements."

It added however that there will be no new students to be admitted to the courses being phase-out, and "the students of the other year levels shall be transferred to other CHED compliant and recognized programs that shall accept said students."

The order is contained in the Notice to the Public signed by CHED executive director Julito Vitriolo.

Meanwhile, Salamera said the school imposes no tuition hike this school-year 2011-2012, resulting in increase of enrolment from 4045 for the same term last year to 4514 this year.