by Hoss

Ched adds 1 year to 4 college courses



Tuesday, January 27, 2009
STARTING school year 2009-2010 engineering, architecture, nursing, and accounting will be five-year college courses, the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) said on Tuesday.


Angeles, also the vice chairman of Presidential Task Force on Education (PTFE), said the move was part of the task force recommendation submitted to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last month.
"It was to formalize the prevailing situation wherein students taking the said courses have to complete it for almost five years," he said.
Angeles cited nursing course as an example wherein the current curriculum requires enrollment for three summers for students to complete the course.
Likewise, making the courses five years would also allow the country to conform to international agreements such as the Bologna and Washington Accords that sets the standards for such courses.
Earlier, Presidential Adviser for Education Dr. Mona Valisno said that making these courses five years would do more to improve the Filipino graduates competitiveness vis-à-vis their counterparts in the international labor market.

"Despite the competent and hardworking abilities of Filipino professionals, many are not able to land good jobs or the jobs their degree requires because their credentials are based on a 10-year basic education program, which is not recognized globally," Valisno said.
"The Philippines is one of only two countries which require only 10 years of basic education. The other country is Botswana. In other countries, basic education now lasts 12 years," he said.

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Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

This is another example of the government not getting to see or maybe refusing to acknowledge the root of the problem. The number of years of study from grade school to high school is but a small part of the issue, which might even get obliterated, if the quality of the product is as good as it's touted to be. Adding another year of collegiate study is not the answer, it's making sure that schools that collect tuition fees deliver the kind of instruction that they're supposed to.

Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

Yes, I agree. It's just clouding the cause of the problem. It is partially related to the years but the government should focus on the curriculum being used in our educational system. One more thing, the DepEd and BON should collaborate and search for schools who operate inadequately and are just after the money. These kind of schools who keep springing up like mushrooms just taint the impression of the world to Filipino Nurses.

Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

the power of money, or let's say the "need" for money here in the phil is blindly guiding the shools which operate on a mediocre basis. they are not doing much on enhancing the learning opportunities of the students unless another "fee" is incorporated. diploma mill schools are everywhere and that the government should address!

Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

I definitely agree. However I also think that it is a good idea to make nursing a 5 year course mainly because with the growing number of students taking up nursing (and I'm talking about good schools and not diploma mills) is increasing and we only have a few facilities.
Now because of the lack of these facilities, many students are scrambling around to get cases that are required for the board exams and some don't even finish all their requirements on time.
I would also like to point out, per my experience, I think that making nursing a five year course would be a plus to the students because professors wouldn't need to do marathon classes where explanations and discussions are brief and some of the pertinent information are not absorbed at all.
I also think that our basic education has nothing to do with it. In fact, a lot of us Filipinos are intelligent despite the 10 year basic education. But then again, I'm talking about schools that aren't diploma mills. I know that there are basic ed schools that are not worth mentioning at all.

Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

even the non board courses are going to be 5 years. i think with this new rule, many wouldnt afford to go to school anymore. see how most of the parents are struggling to be able to finish the 4 yrs schooling of their children then another 1 year again.

Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

Don't you think parents who rather spend 5 years tuition and have their child be better prepared for the workforce or pay 4 years and have their child unemployed?

It does make sense since to align the schooling to the rest of the world.

Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

If the additional year will actually produce better educated nurses, I have no quarrel with it. Unfortunately or fortunately, nursing is a field of study where the patient can't exist in textbooks alone. There will have to be hospitals where the 5th year students can do further clinical practice. Unless, maybe, 10 new hospitals will rise in the next few months I don't see how that can happen. What's likely to happen is more overcrowding in the existing teaching hospitals, as the next batch of students will have to share their space with the ones who were supposed to have graduated.
Like I mentioned in a previous posting, if the purpose is to have the same number of years of study to be at par with the rest of the world, then let's add the year in the secondary level to better prepare these students for college. I personally don't believe in shortcuts, but quick fixes won't work either. And while we're on the topic of fixes, maybe the best fix, if we can call it that, would be to immediately close down dismally performing schools of nursing. For real.
At the root of this sordid mess are people who don't have the foggiest notion about the nursing profession but were allowed to open schools. Well, guess what? They'll be the immediate beneficiary of this plan, should it bear fruition!

Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

Maybe if the nursing schools would pattern themselves after nursing education provided in the USA or Europe everyone would be better off.

Naah, that'll never happen.. makes too much sense and no way to make more money off of it!

/sarchasm

Re: Mandatory 5 YEAR Nursing Course starting June 2009

A degree in Nursing would be finished in 2-3 years if non-nursing subjects would not be included. Minor subjects should have been incorporated in secondary education. If they really want to offer an internationally competitive degree, they should just pattern it to USA or Europe's ladder of education. Not everyone can afford 5 years of college since tuition fees rise almost yearly!