The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (Cocopea) urged the government to fix the basic education system first before reducing college years, in response to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian’s proposal for a three-year undergraduate program.
Cocopea legal counsel Joseph Noel Estrada stressed that senior high school (SHS) graduates are not yet prepared for college, much less the workforce.
He said member institutions were surprised by the sudden shift in focus from K-12 issues to college reforms.
Estrada emphasized the need for a thorough review and reform of the current curriculum before making such changes.
Gatchalian’s bill aims to integrate general education courses into the SHS curriculum to shorten college time.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 9, 2025
