Education stakeholders warned against the proposed reframing of the General Education (GE) curriculum for undergraduate education within the Philippines, citing gaps in the tutorial reform.
“We call upon CHED (Commission on Higher Education) to discard the said draft and conduct broader, deeper, and more meaningful discussions to provide a brand new GE curriculum that reflects the insights of stakeholders and responds to the needs of our communities,” Pambansang Samahan sa Linggwistika at Literaturang Filipino, Ink. said in an announcement on Thursday.
“The draft CHED memorandum on the RGECC (Reframed General Education Curriculum Component) is an example of over-regulation that stifles academic freedom, innovation, and creativity within the course offerings of HEIs,” the group added.
The present 36 units of the GE curriculum can be “reframed” into 18 units under the proposed overhaul by the commission. Of which, 15 units will include core or mandated GE, and three units can be dedicated to institutional GE.
The five core GE courses could be Skilled Communication, Global Trends and Emerging Technologies, Data Evidence and Ethics in a Knowledge Society, Rizal and Philippine Studies, and Labor Education.
Among the many concerns raised over the general public hearing held on Tuesday were the opportunity of merging or removing humanities-related subjects right into a smaller set of skills-oriented subjects.
In comparison with the present curriculum, classes in philosophy, ethics, literature, art appreciation, and Philippine history is not going to be mandatory as standalone courses within the RGECC.
The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Department of Creative Writing said that the attempt to cut back the space for arts subjects inside the university also erases Filipinos’ sense of being.
“It is just not only courses which can be being removed, but additionally voices and memories, in addition to our understanding of ourselves, society, and others,” the department said in Filipino in an announcement.
“The humanities are the inspiration of the education provided by the university… A university without humanities is a towering yet hole structure,” it added. “Education mustn’t merely reply to the demands of industry and capital.”
Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) also really useful the restoration of “strong grounding within the liberal arts” in the brand new curriculum by offering at the least a three-unit course in Ethics, Understanding the Self, and Arts Appreciation.
“‘Creative imagination’ in addition to ‘empathy development’ are also essential in holistic learner development, especially in a world that’s increasingly dominated by technology,” the university said.
AdMU questioned the reframed GE proposal and its goal to create a ‘holistic learner development’, which the university said must have “strong grounding within the liberal arts”.
“The belief is that it’s presupposed to be for the education of the entire person,” the university said. “How can critical pondering and holistic learner development be achieved with the unconventional excision of courses within the humanities and the social sciences?”
Other than the reduction of units, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines also warned of the possible 90,000 job cuts inside universities.
“Many part-time and contractual instructors within the humanities and social sciences are vulnerable to losing their jobs resulting from non-renewed contracts, reassignments, and even outright displacement,” ACT Vice Chairperson Carl Marc Ramota said in an announcement yesterday.
Amid criticisms from some universities and groups, CHED said that inputs from all stakeholders can be “fastidiously examined” to make sure a curriculum that’s “coherent, responsive, and aligned” with national priorities and global standards.
“The proposed reframed GE curriculum is just not yet final and stays subject to the continuing consultation process with higher education institutions, faculty, students, skilled organizations, and other education stakeholders,” the commission said.
“CHED will proceed to have interaction stakeholders through additional consultation mechanisms. This can be sure that the ultimate policy, if issued, reflects careful study, meaningful participation, and one of the best interests of Filipino learners and better education,” it added.
The goal implementation of the brand new GE curriculum is scheduled for the tutorial 12 months 2027-2028. — Almira Louise S. Martinez