2 revised maritime education programs up for CHEd approval  

MANILA, Philippines – Two maritime education programs are now up for final approval by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced Monday.

In a statement, the DOTr said the revised policies, standards and guidelines of the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) programs are due for final approval of the CHEd en banc.

The revisions, DOTr said, were proposed by a panel for maritime education comprised of representatives from the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), CHEd and officials from the industry and the academe.

Public consultations and deliberations were likewise conducted during the panel’s meetings.

The panel tackled provisions concerning the authority that will operate the maritime higher educational institutions (MHEIs), and the application and verification processes and the minimum requirements prior to the granting of permit and recognition.

The stakeholders also discussed the conduct of regular curriculum review and internal evaluation to ensure the compliance of MHEIs with the standards of training, certification, and watch-keeping for Seafarers Convention 1978.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade commended Marina’s efforts to improve the existing policies, standards and guidelines of maritime educational programs “to uphold our position in the international maritime community.”

“There is no better time than now to further promote the welfare and enhance the proficiency of Filipino seafarers as we recognize their invaluable contribution to the national economy,” Tugade said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Marina Officer-in-Charge Vice Admiral Narciso Vingson, Jr. encouraged maritime stakeholders to continue establishing a ideal learning environments and provide learning experiences to aspiring Filipino seafarers for the development of the country’s maritime industry.

“Let us keep our passion burning for the continued improvement of the industry. Our Filipino seafarers remain to be our prime assets, so we should not waver in our efforts to continually raise their competence,” Vingson said. / gsg