MANILA — The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) has raised concerns over the slow pace of higher education curriculum updates in the Philippines, noting that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) takes an average of 11 years to review and update Policies, Standards, and Guidelines (PSGs) for bachelor’s degree programs.

These PSGs are the official rules that define how degree programs must be designed, delivered, and assessed, covering curriculum structure, faculty qualifications, facilities, resources, and internship requirements.

In its final report, Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform (2026–2035), EDCOM II said CHED updates are rarely proactive, often reacting to major basic education reforms, such as the K to 12 implementation under Republic Act 10533, rather than keeping up with emerging knowledge, evolving industry demands, and technological advancements. Citing RTI International, the Commission warned that the decade-long interval between updates leaves curricula unresponsive to workforce changes.

“Higher education curricula must not only be reactive to changes in the basic education curriculum, but must also be responsive to the evolving needs of learners and the workforce,” the report stated.

The report also highlighted structural rigidity in Philippine curricula, described as “GE-heavy, internship light.” Even after K to 12 reforms reduced General Education (GE) units from 63 to 36, the freed-up units were mostly filled with additional professional courses. Fixed legislated subjects—such as the Life and Works of Rizal (RA 1425, 3 units), Physical Education (RA 5708, 8 units), and the National Service Training Program (RA 9163, 6 units)—further limit flexibility for updates.

EDCOM II cited a study by Larzoga and Fernandez (2025) showing that Philippine programs require significantly more total units than ASEAN and European counterparts, yet offer far less experiential learning. In Teacher Education, for example, CHED requires only six units each for Field Study and Practice Teaching, totaling roughly 360 hours—less than half the international benchmark and well below the OECD standard of approximately 800 hours of supervised practice.

The report identified long-standing vacancies in CHED’s Technical Panels (TPs) as a key cause of delays. These panels, mandated under Republic Act 7722, are responsible for reviewing and setting program standards. Many panels remained on “hold-over” status since 2018, delaying updates for seven years. EDCOM noted progress under CHED’s new leadership, with 89 of 91 panels reconstituted as of October 2025 and plans to create new panels for priority sectors such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics.

EDCOM II recommended the following to improve higher education responsiveness:

• Programmed Reviews: CHED should establish a regular review cycle for PSGs, guided by industry forecasts rather than just legislative compliance.
• Space for Innovation: Regulations should allow Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to innovate, moving away from rigid, prescriptive standards.
• Strengthen Organizational Capacity: CHED’s Office of Programs and Standards Development (OPSD) should be reinforced to support Technical Panels effectively.