CHED chief scored for 5-yr plan

Written by TJ Agcaoili / Correspondent

THE president of the Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU), Adel Tamano, on Monday asked the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) to renounce its plan to add another year for all college programs by 2010.

Tamano, with student leaders and youth groups, said in a press briefing at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) the ChEd’s plan is “ill conceived, untimely, and ultimately antipoor and anti-students. He [Chairman Emmanuel Angeles] should resign immediately.”

He has gone to various universities countrywide to talk to administrators, teacher and students about the additional year proposed by the CHED and the “great response” is to oppose the plan, especially given the current economic crisis.

Tamano said Angeles had also proposed the plan without sufficient consultation with all affected stakeholders. He also warned Angeles that there could be a conflict-of-interest issue going against him because he is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Angeles University Foundation as well as the corporate secretary.

He declared there is a failure of leadership at the ChEd. “While we must acknowledge that there are major problems in the education sector, it must be clear that we do not address these problems by adding additional burden on the poor by adding an additional year in college. The challenges in Philippine education are much deeper and may only be addressed through fundamental reforms and only after proper consultation with all stakeholders.”

Alvin Peters, president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), said the ChEd proposal, although aimed at improving education, is not the solution and he suspects it as a “ploy by the government to disguise its neglect in providing jobs for new graduates.”

“By extending students’ stay in college for an additional year, the Arroyo government is trying to avoid graduates immediately becoming part of the swelling number of unemployed,” said Peters. “The government is clearly attempting to do magic with the data once again in order to disguise its inaction and neglect, something it’s been shown to have penchant for.”

A technical panel, it was reported, is now studying the advantages and disadvantages of adding an additional year to the 4-year nursing curriculum. Angeles said the panel would finish its review by the end of next month.

Afterwards, the CHED will start its consultations with students and parents and the final decision on ChEd’s proposal will be announced before March ends, added Angeles.

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