Quo Vadis CHED?

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was established on May 18, 1994 based on the Higher Education Act of 1994 or Republic Act No. 7722. It was sponsored by then Sen. Francisco Tatad. The mandate of CHED  covers post-secondary  public and private educational institutions and includes all degree granting programs.

The Powers and Functions of the CHED are the following:

      

        1.    Formulate and recommend development plans, policies, priorities, and programs on research;

       

        2.    Recommend to the executive and legislative branches priorities and grants on higher education and research;

       

        3.    Set minimum standards for programs and institutions of higher learning recommended by panels of experts in the field and subject to public hearing, and enforced the same;

       

        4.    Monitor and evaluate the performance of programs and institutions of higher learning for appropriate incentives as well as the imposition of sanctions such as, but not limited to, diminution or withdrawal of subsidy, recommendation on the downgrading or withdrawal of accreditation, program termination or school course;

       

        5.    Identify, support and develop potential centers of excellence in program areas needed for the development of world-class scholarship, nation building and national development;

       

        6.    Recommend to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the budgets of public institutions of higher learning as well as general guidelines for the use of their income;

       

        7.    Rationalize programs and institutions of higher learning and set standards, policies and guidelines for the creation of new ones as well as the conversion or elevation of schools to institutions of higher learning, subject to budgetary limitations and the number of institutions of higher learning in the province or region where creation, conversion or elevation is sought to be made;

       

        8.    Develop criteria for allocating additional resources such as research and program development grants, scholarships, and the other similar programs: Provided, that these shall not detract from the fiscal autonomy already enjoyed by colleges and universities;

       

        9.    Direct or redirect purposive research by institutions of higher learning to meet the needs of agro-industrialization and development;

       

        10.    Devise and implement resource development schemes;

       

        11.    Administer the Higher Education Development Fund, as described in Section 10 of R.A. 7722, which will promote the purposes of higher education;

       

        12.    Review the charters of institutions of higher learning and state universities and colleges including the chairmanship and membership of their governing bodies and recommend appropriate measures as basis for necessary action;

       

        13.    Promulgate such rules and regulations and exercise such other powers and functions as may be necessary to carry out effectively the purpose and objectives of R.A. 7722; and

       

        14.    Perform such other functions as may be necessary for its effective operations and for the continued enhancement, growth and development of higher education.

Having such a mandate and power over the educational system of the country, CHED is one of the troika of the Philippine Educational System. The other two are the DepEd and the TESDA.

CHED as mentioned has the power over policy and programs with regards  to higher education and Higher Educational Institutions or HEIs. Thus, not only is CHED have power over the educational system but also in the economy of the country wherein the professionals are one of the key resources.

The CHED Chairman is appointed by the President and the CHED is under the administrative control of the Office of the President. The CHED Chairman has a term of 4 years and  and if reappointed has a fixed term of another 4 years. The current CHED Chairman is Patricia Licuanan who was appointed in 2010 and reappointed in 2014. Her term expires on the year 2018.

Interregnum

The pronouncement of President-Elect Rodrigo Duterte that Lyceum of the Philippines Professor  Jose David Lapuz has muddled up the functions of CHED since LIcuanan has a fixed term of serving until 2018. Now presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has demurred the announcement of Lapuz taking over Licuanan’s position at the CHED.

Also, Executive Assistant Christopher Go said in a statement that Licuanan will retain her post since it is a fixed term.

Licuanan stated that “Everything is unpredictable at the moment but I do have a term until 2018”.

This notwithstanding reactions from netizens and former students of Lapuz questioning his qualifications in heading the CHED.

Lapuz was a former political science professor of President-Elect Duterte in the 1960s at the Lyceum of the Philippines.

This comes at a time when a new schoolyear is about to commence and that CHED is a vital government arm in the country’s economic system.

Aside from Licuanan, CHED has also Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries that are presidential appointees.

Sources: Readings from :

http://www.mb.com.ph/ched-chair-expects-duterte-to-respect-term-of-office/

http://www.ched.gov.ph/index.php/home/about-ched/