THE PHILIPPINE Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (Pacucoa) is set to require English language proficiency tests as part of updated criteria for rating programs in institutions such as UST.
Starting 2025, Pacucoa will require faculty members and students to use the British Council’s Aptis test.
In a statement, Pacucoa Executive Director Adlai Castigador said the new policy was meant to address students’ lapses in the English language and boost their employability.
“The updated standards of Pacucoa aim to address the deficiencies in English communication skills of graduates of our accredited institutions and to improve them; thus, enhancing the employability of graduates,” Castigador said.
Under the criteria, students must meet at least a B1 (intermediate) level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, while faculty members must reach the C1 (advanced) level.
The Aptist test, used in more than 80 countries, determines English proficiency through skills like listening, reading, speaking, and writing, as well as core components of grammar and vocabulary.
“Integrating English proficiency tests like Aptis empowers universities to align with international academic standards, enhance global credibility, and equip students with language skills essential for internationalisation and employability in a competitive global market,” Lotus Postrado, director of the British Council Philippines, said in the same statement.
Pacucoa’s revised accreditation guidelines follow the Philippines’s poor performance in the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment, where it ranked among the lowest out of 81 countries. It recorded a literacy score of 347 — far below the average of 476.
Analyses conducted by Trends in International Math and Science Survey and the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics also showed the Philippines ranking among the lowest in reading, writing and English communication skills.
Pacucoa is one of the largest school accrediting bodies in the Philippines with 293 member institutions and 2,549 accredited programs as of May 2025.
UST is its top accredited university with 59 degree programs receiving various levels of accreditation, including BS Psychology, BS Chemistry, BS Biochemistry, BS Physical Therapy, and BA Journalism.
