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THE Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is set to change the
College of Nursing curriculum to ensure a better passing rate of
Filipino nursing graduates, CHED Acting Chairman Romulo Neri said
Wednesday.
“We will make changes in the [nursing]
curriculum that will keep it at par with international standards,”
Neri said. “We are already working to implement it this coming
school year.”
Neri refused to disclose the exact details of
the changes, but sources said the changes would be based on the
recent results of the Nursing Licensure Exams that shows which
particular subjects the students are good at or struggling with.
The students’ mastery of the English language,
according to the source, is also one of the main factors that fueled
the curriculum change since most students registered a failing grade
in basic English written and communications skills.
“If they want to work abroad, they should
learn to speak fluent English,” the source, who refused to be
named, said.
The source also noted that even though the
nursing board exam passers are increasing, there is still a pressing
need to improve it since the passing rate remains below 50 percent.
According to the Professional Regulation
Commission, 28,924 out of 67,228 or 43.4 percent passed the nursing
licensure exams given in December 2007. The passing rate for the
nursing licensure exams has averaged 49 percent in the last 10
years. At this rate, the country will have more than 40,000 new
registered nurses by the end of 2008.
Neri also this early admitted that the changes
in the curriculum are drawing criticism and objections from schools,
but he expressed confidence that such problems will be resolved.
“There are objections from the schools but the technical committee
will meet them to talk this over,” he said.
-- James Konstantin Galvez
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