CHEd retains Filipino units in GE curriculum

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) has ordered higher educational institutions (HEIs) in the country to retain six to nine units of Filipino in the general education (GE) curriculum, in compliance with a temporary restraining order (TRO) by the Supreme Court (SC) last year.

READ: SC issues TRO vs ‘anti-Filipino’ CHEd memo in K-12 program

In a memorandum issued on Monday, CHEd Chair Patricia Licuanan instructed HEIs to continue implementing two CHEd memorandums issued in 1996 and 1997, which included Filipino and Panitikan as “core courses” in the GE curriculum.

“In view of the said TRO of the Supreme Court, all are enjoined to take due note of, and continue implementing the following provisions of CMO No. 04, s. 1997, entitled ‘Guidelines for Implementation of CHED Memorandum Order No. 59, s. 1996, ‘New General Education Curriculum (GEC)’ in reference to the inclusion of Filipino and Panitikan as core course until further notice by the High Tribunal,” Licuanan wrote.

CMO No. 59 s. 1996 requires a minimum of 9 units of Filipino for fields of study related to Humanities, Social Sciences and Communication, while CMO No. 4 s. 1997 requires at least 6 units of Filipino for students majoring in other fields.

In 2015, the SC issued a TRO against CMO No. 20 in response to the petition of National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, a group of professors, students and legislators who called the new curriculum, which is part of the implementation of the K-12 program, “anti-Filipino.”

READ: Filipino advocates win TRO vs CHEd in K-12 controversy

“All concerned are hereby enjoined to comply and implement the above requirement of CMO. No. 59 s. 1996 and CMO No. 4 s. 1997 provision during the pendency of the Supreme Court TRO,” the latest memorandum read.

“Failure to comply may be construed as a direct or indirect violation of the TRO with possible sanctions by the Supreme Court. For strict compliance of all HEIs and concerned officials,” it added. RAM/rga