CHEd to ensure college readiness of students

K TO 12

The Commission on Higher Education in Central Visayas (CHEd-7) is now preparing to address the impact of the full K to 12 implementation on higher education.

Dr. Josefino Ronquillo, Supervising Education Program Specialist and Permanent Alternate Focal Person for K to 12 Transition Program Management Unit, said the commission has issued Memorandum Order No. 10 series of 2017, to ensure college readiness of the students under the new higher education curricula.

According to Ronquillo, students of the old curriculum who wish to enroll by June 2018 are required to undergo bridging program in order to comply with the new curriculum.

The bridging program will last from one semester to one year, depending on the courses that students intend to enroll.

Other policies which the CHED has implemented under the K to 12 program are: That students who graduated high school from institutions that are early implementer of the revised General Education Curriculum (GEC) are permitted to enroll in college with four credited advanced subjects; and those who stopped schooling can re-enroll in June 2018 but the higher educational institution has the option to give the students bridging program or require them to enroll in courses under the new GEC.

Dr. Ronquillo explained that these policies will help bridge the gap in labor mismatch and to make sure that students can find employment after they graduated in college.

He added that for public elementary and high school teachers who will be affected by the K to 12 program, CHEd is offering them a scholarship to enroll in a master’s degree so they can teach in college, while affected instructors in higher educational institutions may be allowed to teach in public and private elementary and secondary schools.

“At least a thousand teachers in Central Visayas have already availed of the program. Aside from free tuition and miscellaneous fee, they also have allowances,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Councilor Joy Young, chairman on Committee in Education, is planning to amend the scholarship program in the city.

“I think amendahon na nato ang balaud kay four years ra man gud nga course, unya naa na may five years karon kanang accounting. Unya naa na pud ning bridge program, lain na sab na nga gasto (The law only covers four-year course. It should be amended to also cover five-year course like accounting. And now there’s a bridging program),” Young said.