Commission on Higher Education (CHED) postponed the pilot testing of its proposed reframed General Education (GE) curriculum to 2028 after primarily planning it for Academic Year 2026–2027, citing the need of additional time to “analyze and study” the proposal, May 13.
This comes after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines submitted position papers and a consolidated petition that included around 2,000 signatures on May 12, asking CHED to cease the implementation of the curriculum overhaul and conduct a “wide, democratic, participatory consultation” with various education stakeholders.
On the same day, the commission also conducted a dialogue with the General Education Movement (GEM) and other stakeholders, where they reiterated their opposition of the said curriculum reframing.
CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said the postponement would allow them to study and listen more to different stakeholders.
“We just had a meeting, an inter-agency meeting composed of Department of Education (DepEd), Teacher Education Council (TED), Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM2), and, of course CHED, really presented the collective manifestations from the different sectors and we came to a decision that there will be no reframed GE implementation across all programs this school year,” she said.
Agrupis added that CHED would continue consultations before implementing the revised curriculum in their new target year.
The proposed GE overhaul aims to reduce GE units from 36 to 18, consolidating Humanities courses such as literature, history, and arts appreciation into six new GE courses, namely:
- Professional Communication
- Global Trends and Emerging Technologies
- Data, Evidence, and Ethics in a Knowledge-Driven Society
- Rizal and Philippine Studies
- Labor Education
- Institutional Course
Various educators, such as GEM initiator Professor Jonathan Geronimo, raised concerns that the new curriculum could place teachers at risk of losing their jobs, as well as the dilution of nationalism, communication, and critical thinking skills among students.
“CHED continues to frame the issue as a matter of technical adjustments and consultation management, when the real issue is the neoliberal restructuring of higher education, threats to the livelihood of tens of thousands of educators, and the systematic weakening of critical, nationalist, and humanistic education,” echoed Geronimo.
Universities such as the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Ateneo de Manila University, and University of Santo Tomas also joined the call, emphasizing that reframed GEs “move the lever away” from students’ holistic human development.
Meanwhile, HAU is yet to issue its official stance on the matter.
However, in an interview, School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) Dean Dr. Alfred Santos expressed his worry about the many implications of the reframed GEs.
“Yung human side nung mga estudyante natin, they are not just merely commodities na matatapos lang sila just for that sake. Kasi ito yung cinacater talaga ng general education,” explained Dr. Santos.
He voiced concerns over the welfare of the students, noting that although they may still secure employment, their overall welfare remains a distinct consideration.
“Just like, say, for example, in your curriculum right now, napakabalanse kasi. We don’t only train the minds, but we also need to prepare the heart. ‘Di ba 3Cs nga tayo, dapat ganun na holistic,” he added.
As of writing, Dr. Al Biag, Vice President for Academic Affairs, has not yet responded to The Angelite’s inquiries regarding his office’s position on the proposed GE curriculum.
