CHALLENGES AND

ISSUES IN
PHILIPPINE HIGHER
EDUCATION
Reporter: Deo M. Belmonte
Course: Master of Arts in Industrial Education (MAIE)
Subject: Vocational Teacher Education
Schedule: Saturday & Sunday; 7:00-1200
Faculty: Prof. Jesus B. Isorena

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Issue:

Only a small proportion of the total 1,683 Higher Education

Institutions (HEIs) can be considered as offering very high quality
programs as shown by the number of programs identified as Center
of Excellence (COEs) and Centers of Development (CODs) by the
CHED, the number of private HEIs granted by the CHED autonomous
and deregulated status, and number of HEIs obtaining national or
international recognition for their programs. It can be observed that
many HEIs operate programs within the parameters of the minimum
standards only and in some cases even below the minimum
standards.

Quality of Education has also been a decline in our countrys global

competitiveness. Based on Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Top-500
World University only 3 Philippine Universities are included in the
year 2010 while in 2006, there was 4 Philippine Universities

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Challenge:

There is a need for the Commission to

develop a very good policy environment in
the system of giving incentives to encourage
many HEIs to pursue many vigorous efforts
towards instituting quality assurance
mechanisms in their institutions. Likewise,
an effective system of sanctions also needs
to be developed to stop the HEIs in offering
substandard programs.

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Issue:

The performance of graduates in the licensure examinations

being conducted by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)
is one indicator of the quality of graduates of the HEIs. For the
past several years though, data shows that in a majority of the
programs, the performance of graduates in licensure
examinations has been declining. In effect, this also indicates
that the quality of program offerings of many institutions is
deteriorating.

Low Performance in licensure exams across all disciplines from

38.6 % in 2008 to 36.2 % in 2009. As stated by Van Vankelburg,
Students entering college courses are poorly prepared in
Mathematics. Educators Journals Report Students nowadays are
getting poorer in Mathematics as shown in the low grades and
passing rates of students even in premier schools

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

It cannot be denied that the diminishing

importance we give to education is all too obvious
in the results of national and international
assessment tests of our students, specifically on
the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and
Science Study (TIMMS).

For years, the teacher education program has been

a continuing concern of Philippine Higher
Education. Data from the Professional Regulation
Commission for the past ten (10) tears show that
the percentage of those who fail the licensure
examinations is larger than that of those who pass.

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Challenge:

The Commission is faced with the task of

doubling its efforts in updating policies and
standards for each program. For teacher
education, a new curriculum has been
devised. Likewise, the intensive training of
student teachers has been instituted.

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Issue:

Quality assurance mechanism should be

viewed in a holistic rather than piecemeal
basis to bring out the best in the Philippine
higher education.

Out of the 2,180 HEIs in the country, only

about less than 500 HEIs have accreditation
in AY 2008-2010.

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Challenge:

Among the existing accrediting agencies in the

country, there is a need to review and determine
comparability of their standards, criteria, and
evaluation instruments. It is necessary to
establish uniform systems and processes and set
comparable standards in granting accreditation
status to the program of the HEIs. Moreover,
public and private accrediting agencies should
not view each other competitively but rather
treat each other as complementary partners.

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Issues:

One of the triple functions of a college or

university is research. However, many HEIs
have poor research capability and in some
cases there is no research culture. The HEIs
need to harness their capability in research
along with the improvement in the delivery
of educational services.

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Challenge:

While the Commission has provided incentives

for higher education research, still the
research-based culture in the Philippine HEIs
with a few exceptions remains elusive. As one
Philippine university professor has succinctly
articulated it: The management of a research
culture is a mix of simple to complex factors
and processes which must be attended to and
nurtured by inspiration, expectations, role
definitions, monitoring, and incentives.

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

While there are many factors that relate to the

development and nurturance of a research culture,
the following seem to stand out:

University

research agenda that flow to the faculty

Support of the management that is communicated to
the faculty
Competence and confidence of the faculty
Existing organizational structure for research
Visible incentives for the faculty
Research-related rituals, practices and tradition
including team research and mentorship
Credibility of the research manager (Orchave, 2006)

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Issue:

The HEIs are turning out too many graduates every year, and
aside from the issue of low absorptive capacity of the labor
market, the quality of graduates is also an issue. It can be
observed that there is a mismatch between the knowledge and
skills acquired by the graduates and what the industry needs.

According to the labor sector, the skills needed by the industry

but not adequately provided by the academe are the following:
Communication

skills,
Technical skills, and
Numerical skills

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

According to studies undertaken by CHED, the

following programs have been considered
oversubscribed as evidenced by the huge enrolment
recorded:
Business

Administration

Nursing
Teacher

Education
Information Technology and
Hotel and Restaurant Management

While the undersubscribed programs are:

Science

and Technology, and

Agriculture and Fisheries

MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Challenge:

The Philippine government and not only the

Commission have been trying to address this
issue through human resource summits
between the Commission and Department of
Labor in determining the programs with the
highest potential of job market.

OTHER ISSUES
Lack of overall Vision, Framework, Plan for
Higher Education

This is evident on the increase of HEIs and

increase of programs in the country.
Location
AY 20092010

National
Scope
Region IV-A
(alone)

No. of HEIs

2,180

No. of
Programs
Offered
31,257

275

2,302

OTHER ISSUES
Inadequacy of facilities and equipment

Among the 1,792 HEIs (excluding SUC campuses),

only 100 or 5.6 % HEIs can be assumed to have
adequate facilities.

Increasing number of SUC satellite campuses and

increasing programs beyond their original
mandate.

There are now 110 SUCs in the country while the

SUC campuses are now totaling 388.

OTHER ISSUES
Inadequacy of Faculty Credentials

Teachers bear the responsibility of educating our youth.

Recent data gathered by the Association of Higher
Education Institutions show that majority of the faculty
credentials are inadequate. In year 2008-2009:
Location

Doctorate
Degree

Masters
Degree

National
Scope
Region IVA
(alone)

10 %
(12,532)
25%
(2,053)

36 %
(46,346)
54%
(4,886)

Baccalaur
eate
Degree
54 %
(70,446)
21%
(1,884)

OTHER ISSUES
Limited Access to Quality Higher Education

As evidenced by the low participation rate

and low completion rate caused by
increasing costs and limited student
assistance programs. Out of 100 pupils who
enrolled in Grade 1, only 14 will graduate in
higher education.

CHEDS RESPONSE
Rationalization of Higher Education

Aligning higher education with national

development goals;
Developing typology of HEIs;
Mapping of HEIs and programs;
Amalgamation of HEIs;
Moratorium on new HEIs and programs;
Harmonization of public and private HEIs
(leveling the playing field); and
Rationalization of credentials

CHEDS RESPONSE
Quality and Standards

Institutional Quality Assurance Monitoring and Evaluation

(IQuAME) as developmental instrument for non-accredited
HEIs;
Rigorous and transparent systems for autonomous and
deregulated COEs and CODs;
Improved and effective Technical Panels;
More developmental and less prescriptive PSGs;
Closing of substandard programs and institutions;
Providing development support and/or incentives to
deserving HEIs; and
Aligning Philippine HEI curricula and standards with
international benchmarks.

CHEDS RESPONSE
Access to Quality Higher Education

Improve and expand Government Assistance to

Students and Teachers in Private Education
(GATSPE);
Expand the Student Financial Assistance Program
(STUFAP) - scholarships, grants-in-aid, StudyNow-Pay-Later Plan;
Alternative Learning Systems (ALS);
Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and
Accreditation Program (ETEEAP); and
Ladderized Education program (LEP).

CHEDS RESPONSE
Transparency and Accountability

Transparency of systems and processes;

Elimination of corrupt and questionable
practices in CHED;
Elimination of corrupt and questionable
practices in SUCs; and
Recognition of CHED as a clean and honest
agency.

CHEDS RESPONSE
Organizational Development at CHED

As a modern, technology-enabled
organization;
As an efficient, service-oriented,
empowering, happy organization;
CHEDs physical plant is clean, wellmaintained, attractive and user-friendly and
client-friendly; and
Relevant and interested in national and
global issues.

CONCLUSIONS:

In pursuance of its mandate, the Commission has

undertaken major initiatives in quality assurance.
These initiatives, however, have an overarching goal:
To develop the Philippines as a regional knowledge
center in the Asia Pacific especially in disciplines
where Philippine HEIs have a distinctive competitive
edge.

If we work together, we can create an educational

environment capable of generating and nurturing
development that will produce globally competent
individuals who are well equipped with general
knowledge and intellectual capacities needed by the
industry.

SOURCES:

Colinares, Nilo E. and Lydia P. E. dela Rosa

(2011) 21st Century Trends, Issues and
Challenges in Philippine Education.
Challenges and Issues in RP Higher
Education by Commissioner Nenalyn P.
Defensor: National Book Store, Philippines

Valdez, Shirley (August 21, 2011) Higher

Education Institutions: Addressing Current
Issues and Challenges Retrieved from: http
://www.slideshare.net/shirlyvaldez/addressi
ng-current-issues-and-challenges-in-he-9079

THANK YOU VERY

MUCH!!