Education hailed new center of excellence

THE UST College of Education is now a Center of Excellence (COE) after undergoing the stringent evaluation of the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).
It is the fifth college in the University to receive such status, next to the College of Architecture, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, College of Nursing, and the Conservatory of Music.

The UST College of Education and the teacher-education programs of De La Salle University, Philippine Normal University, and Centro Escolar University, were granted COE status for three years effective June 2, 2008.

“Ched evaluated the College’s faculty and graduate profiles, curriculum, and the passing rate for licensure exams for the past three years. These factors were accounted for for our COE grant,” Dean Clotilde Arcangel told the Varsitarian.

Arcangel said Education exceeded the minimum 85 percent passing score. However, Ched did not disclose the exact rating.

Licensure exam results have been an edge for UST since Education continues to exhibit remarkable performances in the boards.

Last year, four Thomasians topped the Nutrition board exam, where UST had a passing rate of 80 percent compared to the 56.4 national passing rate. UST also placed third among top-performing schools in the exam, next to the University of the Philippines’ Diliman and Los Baños campuses, which took the first and second spots, respectively.

In the April 2008 examinations for high school teachers, two Thomasians entered the top 10. Maria Editha Lim placed second with 90 percent, while Rebecca Barbo placed fifth with 88.60 percent.

UST also took the second spot among the top-performing schools with 10 to 99 examinees, registering a 95 percent passing rate as 39 examinees passed out of 41. The national passing rate was only 25.05 percent.

Education’s relations with foreign schools also bolstered its qualifications for the rare COE status.

“We have been closely affiliated with the Hanyang University in Korea since 2004,” Arcangel said. “Exchanges of students have been very active each year.”

A group of 15 Korean students from both the Korean university’s Seoul and Ansan campuses visited UST as exchange students for ten days starting July 23.

“Next year, we are targeting to send at least 10 to 20 students from our six different courses,” Arcangel said.

Of the 216 colleges and universities affiliated with Hanyang, UST is the only Philippine institution.

As a COE, Education is “expected to enhance research graduate programs and provide assistance to other institutions,” Ched Memorandum Order No. 31 stated. The college will be given assistance such as faculty scholarships for graduate studies and research grants. It is also prioritized in the selection of institutional partners with regards to Ched’s developmental projects.

Recently, the Department of Education (DepEd) tapped the college to train 73 public school teachers in the fields of music, arts, and physical education and health.

Asst. Prof. Fylene Uy, coordinator of the certificate program, said in an earlier interview that an institution should manifest quality education to become a DepEd Center for Training.

“For a college to be designated by DepEd as a Center of Training, it should be known for providing quality education that can offer good training for future teachers,” Uy said. Danielle Clara P. Dandan