CHED to publish nursing schools’ performance
Quezon City (10 October) -- WITH a court order temporarily prohibiting it from closing down substandard nursing schools, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) will instead publish the performance of all nursing schools over the past three years to give students a guide in choosing where to study.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the proposal of CHED chairman Carlito Puno, which was presented during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a news briefing.
Bunye said the published performance would show the percentage of the schools’ graduates passing the nursing licensure examinations.
"We found out that some schools have (an) almost zero passing average, and this is worrisome. If you have this type of institution, you can see the quality of education being imparted," he said.
During the Cabinet meeting, Puno presented steps to improve nursing education in the country.
In his presentation Puno said there are now 460 nursing programs all over the country with a total enrolment of 386,531 this school year.
Puno noted that there remains a shortage of tertiary base hospitals and that facilities are poor in these hospitals. He also pointed to the need to better screen students for nursing programs and continuously review the instruction offered in nursing schools. (PIA) [top]