CHEd to study SC decision to exclude Filipino, Panitikan from college curriculum

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) said on Wednesday that it will study the issues raised by education stakeholders following the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) to exclude Filipino and Panitikan (Literature) from core subjects in college.

“The Commission will continue to uphold the rule of law, study the issues raised by education stakeholders,” it said.

The court ruling dated Oct. 9 declared CHEd’s memorandum on reducing the general education curriculum to a minimum of 36 units as valid.

The CHEd’s Memorandum Order (CMO), No. 20 Series of 2013, removed Filipino and Panitikan in the core college subjects.

READ: SC: Filipino, ‘Panitikan’ no longer core college subjects 

The Commission lamented that the current CHEd commissioners were not “privy” to the “context and discussions” about the CHEd memorandum.

“CMO No. 20, Series of 2013 was issued on June 28, 2013. None of the current CHED commissioners were in office at that time, and therefore were not privy to the context and discussions that were the basis for the CHED Memorandum,” it said.

CHEd, however, said that it respects groups’ plan to work to reverse the SC ruling.

“News reports indicate that the groups opposed to the Supreme Court decision may be filing their motions for reconsideration. The CHED respects this decision and will wait for the Supreme Court to decide finally on the issue,” it said in a statement.

University and college professors, national artists and lawmakers under the Alyansa ng Mga Tagapagtanggol ng Wikang Filipino (Tanggol Wika) argued that the CHEd memorandum violated the Organic Act of the Komisyon on Wikang Filipino, the Education Act of 1982, and the Organic Act of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

However, the SC said the petitioners’ allegations that CHEd “removed” the study of FIlipino and Panitikan from the general education curriculum was “incorrect.”

The court added that changes in the core subjects ensure that there is no duplication of subjects in grade school, high school, and college. /ee