CHED adds 33 more units to nursing curriculum

MANILA, Philippines - Nursing students may spend more time in schools and hospitals under Commission on Higher Education's new curriculum due for implementation in School Year 2009 - 2010, GMA news 24 Oras reported Tuesday. Under the CHED memorandum circular No. 5, another 33 units will be added to the present nursing curriculum's 169 units, adding three summer classes to the present 8-semester course. Meanwhile, the number of hours for practicum will increase to 2,499 from the present 2,142-hour requirement. “Kailangan pang hasain sila sa clinical experience dun sa practicum," explained by Dr. Dr William Medrano, said CHED executive director. An association of more than 33 private schools (out of the about 1,000 schools offer BS Nursing Program) has opposed the new curriculum. Ines Basaen, program officer of the group Cocopea, said the additional units and hours of practicum entail additional cost for both students and schools. “Six to eight hours a day and six days a week. If this will over burden the students, we’re not producing quality students even if you say that the curriculum or program is quality in terms of content or program," Basaen said. But Medrona stressed that Basaen's concern was already considered by the committee on technical education, saying they conducted public hearing on the matter. Medrona said that CHED has given the schools one year to implement the new curriculum. The new curriculum will also require a change some items in the licensure examination. - Fidel Jimenez, GMANews.TV