The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has announced it will not proceed with the pilot testing of its proposed reframed general education (GE) curriculum in 2026. The agency has instead moved the pilot implementation to 2028 to allow more time to review stakeholder feedback.
This decision follows the filing of a consolidated petition and separate position papers by students, teachers and advocacy groups. These stakeholders have urged the commission to abandon a proposal that would reduce GE units from the current 36 down to 18.
CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis stated during a press conference on May 13 that the delay is necessary to “analyze and study well the different manifestations because we understand where they are coming from.”
Inter-Agency Collaboration and Review
The decision to postpone the pilot was reached following a meeting between CHED, the Department of Education, the Teacher Education Council, and the Second Congressional Commission on Education.
these four government bodies have agreed to establish an inter-agency technical working group. This group is tasked with examining submitted position papers throughout the current year.
CHED remains open to receiving further submissions from stakeholders until June 15. To date, more than 250 higher education institutions have submitted their official stances on the matter.
Points of Contention
Chairperson Agrupis acknowledged that many of the demands from critics are “worth considering.” Specifically, stakeholders have questioned the Technical Panel for General Education’s proposal to remove ethics as a stand-alone subject.
There is also significant opposition to the plan to combine Philippine history with the Rizal course within the reframed curriculum.
Edizon Fermin, who leads the technical panel, explained that the original 2026-2027 pilot timeline was intended to coincide with the reframing of the teacher education curriculum. Fermin noted that CHED had seen an opportunity to “reframe GE at the same time we are reframing teacher education.”
Potential Next Steps
The inter-agency technical working group may now propose revisions to the unit count or the structure of core subjects based on the 250+ institutional stances already submitted.
Depending on the findings of the working group, the commission could potentially restore certain stand-alone subjects or adjust the integration of history and Rizal courses before the 2028 rollout.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the new date for the GE curriculum pilot testing?
The pilot implementation has been moved from 2026 to 2028.
What is the primary concern regarding the GE unit count?
Stakeholders have filed petitions against the proposal to reduce general education units from the current 36 to 18.
Which agencies are involved in the new technical working group?
The group consists of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Department of Education, the Second Congressional Commission on Education, and the Teacher Education Council.
Do you believe reducing general education units enhances or hinders a student’s college experience?
