THE UNIVERSITY has called on the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to respect institutional autonomy and ensure that reforms to the general education (GE) curriculum “deepen the formative, humanistic, civic, ethical, and intellectual purpose of higher education.”
In a statement, UST outlined its suggestions following the CHEd proposal for a “reframed” GE curriculum, which seeks to offer six streamlined courses, of 18 to 36 units.
“The University trusts that CHED will reconsider the implementation… ensuring that any revision to the General Education Curriculum genuinely strengthens – rather than diminishes – the quality, depth, and transformative character of Philippine higher education,” the statement read.
The proposal seeks to revise existing offerings to align with “global standards,” flexibility, and employability-driven skills.
READ: CHEd: Proposed overhaul of gen ed courses part of ‘continuing reform’
In a statement dated May 9, UST urged CHEd to “balance regulatory oversight with respect for institutional autonomy,” noting that flexibility should not be limited to autonomous higher educational institutions, but also to institutions with curricular capacity and faculty expertise.
“Rather than prescribing specific courses, we propose that CHED spells out minimum expected outcomes, allowing HEls to innovate and design their own courses,” it said.
UST said curriculum reform should not only aim for “labor-market pressures,” but must also create “well-rounded graduates.”
“Excessive consolidation of foundational GE courses into interdisciplinary courses may not fully achieve the depth of learning outcomes traditionally associated with disciplinal formation, unless accompanied by robust curricular safeguards and sufficient instructional preparation,” UST said.
UST also urged the CHEd to conduct an evidence-based assessment of students nationwide to determine whether they have achieved the required competency before implementing changes to the GE curriculum.
UST added that CHEd must “consider the labor implications of any curricular change,” which it said entails not only employment issues but also quality assurance.
“Abrupt curricular reduction risks the loss of experienced disciplinal experts whose formation, scholarship, and teaching experience are essential to meaningful interdisciplinary education,” it said.
The Philippines should draw lessons from globally competitive universities as they show that “professional readiness and liberal education are not mutually exclusive,” it said.
“For the University of Santo Tomas, general education is not a curricular excess,” it said.
UST depts speak out on gen ed overhaul
Academic departments earlier opposed the reframed GE curriculum proposal, warning that the move could reduce the role of humanities in higher education.
The UST Department of Creative Writing said the humanities are central to education, warning that removing them erases “possibilities of humanhood” and limits students’ capacity for reflection.
“Hindi lamang mga kurso ang tinatanggal kundi mga tinig at alaala,” the department said in a May 7 Facebook post.
“Hindi lamang tayo mga tagapagbayad ng buwis at kasangkapan para manatili sa kapangyarihan ang iilan. Tayo ay mga nilalang na may gunita, may paninindigan; may kakayahang magsalaysay, magsuri, at magpasiya,” it added.
The Department of Literature likewise urged CHEd to “restore the rightful place of Literature and the Humanities as mandated general education courses.”
“The study of Literature, Art, and the Humanities… fosters critical thinking, nourishes creativity and imagination, and deepens empathy,” it said in a May 8 Facebook post.
The department stressed that while technological skills were necessary, they should not come at the expense of disciplines that shape human values and critical thought.
The College of Science, meanwhile, called on CHEd to expand its consultations and to pursue reforms that aim to create a holistic and interdisciplinary higher education.
“Naniniwala kami na hindi sapat na natutugunan ng mga panukalang interdisciplinary GE courses ang mga pangunahing kasanayang kasalukuyang nalilinang sa umiiral na science-oriented GE courses,” the academic unit said in a May 9 statement.
The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Catholic Education (CBCP-ECCE) supported the calls by educational institutions in a May 7 statement, noting the role of GE as the “formative core of the university experience.”
The Catholic groups said that CHEd must pursue “a more grounded and evidence-based” review of the reframed GE curriculum.
“In this context, treating ethics as merely diffuse or incidental across the General Education curriculum risks producing only a “thin crust” of moral awareness,” it said.
CEAP and CBCP-ECCE also recommended CHEd to pursue a “broad national consultation” rather than piloting in select institutions, noting that “pilots may prematurely normalize contested frameworks.”
Reframed GE curriculum ‘not yet final’
In a May 7 statement, CHEd backtracked on the proposed GE curriculum, stating it was“not yet final” and remained open to refinement following consultations with stakeholders.
The commission said inputs from higher education institutions, faculty, students, and professional organizations would be reviewed by the technical panel for GE, stressing that the process would “ remain deliberate and evidence-based.”
It added that the proposal formed part of ongoing efforts to align senior high school and GE curricula, with further consultations expected before the issuance of a final policy.
“CHEd will continue to engage stakeholders through additional consultation mechanisms,” it said.
