Proposed changes to GE curriculum open to revisions - CHED

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Thursday assured educators, students, and other stakeholders that the proposed reframed General Education (GE) curriculum remains open to revisions following strong public engagement during recent consultations.

In a statement, CHED said the proposed curriculum “is not yet final” and remains subject to ongoing consultations with higher education institutions, faculty members, students, professional organizations, and other stakeholders.

The commission issued the clarification after an online public hearing on May 5 drew more than 4,700 viewers through Facebook Live and over 1,400 participants via Zoom, reflecting heightened interest and concern over the proposed changes to the GE curriculum.

“CHED firmly recognizes and values the strong engagement of stakeholders,” the commission said.

According to CHED, all stakeholder inputs, including position papers and formally submitted comments, will be reviewed by the Technical Panel for General Education (TPGE) as part of the continuing deliberations on the proposed policy.

The commission stressed that the review process remains “deliberate and evidence-based” and aims to ensure that the reframed curriculum will be coherent, responsive, and aligned with both national priorities and global standards.

CHED said the proposed reframing is part of the deliverables of the reconstituted TPGE, which was formed in September 2024 in response to concerns regarding the alignment between the senior high school and general education curricula.

Following an initial review and consultations, the TPGE presented its recommendations to the Commission en banc, which later decided to expand consultations to gather broader stakeholder feedback.

CHED noted that the wider consultation process is intended to keep policymaking transparent and grounded in the needs of the higher education sector.

The commission added that additional consultation mechanisms will continue in the coming months to ensure that any final policy “reflects careful study, meaningful participation, and the best interests of Filipino learners and higher education.”

At a public hearing on May 5, CHED defended its draft proposal to reduce GE units from the current 36 units to 18-21 units under a “reframed” curriculum focused on outcomes-based education.

The proposal has alarmed faculty members from several universities, including the University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines, and Silliman University, prompting them to raise concerns over the possible merging or removal of humanities-related subjects.

One of the most contentious issues discussed during the hearing was the plan to remove ethics as a standalone GE subject and instead integrate ethical concepts across multiple courses. —VBL, GMA News