The Philippines' Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has closed 26 teacher education programmes across 11 higher education institutions as part of a drive against low-quality courses that critics describe as diploma mills.

CHED chairperson Shirley Agrupis told senators during budget deliberations that the agency is recalibrating its monitoring system and will continue to close programmes that fail its reviews. Programmes are rated conditional, incomplete or failed; those that clearly fail are closed, while conditional programmes receive time-limited support to improve.

What the congressional commission found

The action follows findings by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which reported that 177 teacher education institutions continued to operate despite recording zero passing rates in the teacher licensure examination from 2012 to 2022. EDCOM 2 has also raised concerns about graduate programmes, reporting that most graduate students do not finish within the prescribed period.

Limits on enforcement

Commentators have noted that CHED's powers are limited. For institutions that never sought its recognition, the regulator can issue cease-and-desist orders but cannot directly shut them, and closure decisions can be appealed. CHED has also publicly stated that one religious school had no authority to award the doctoral degrees it conferred.

Why it matters

Degrees from low-quality or unauthorised programmes can look legitimate on paper. Employers, recruiters and immigration bodies assessing Philippine teaching qualifications should confirm both the institution's and the specific programme's recognition status with CHED before relying on a degree.

Sources

This News Desk report summarises information published by the sources above, written in our own words. Persons named in criminal matters are accused, not convicted, unless a court has ruled otherwise. To report an error, use our contact page.

PhilippinesCHEDDiploma millsTeacher educationQuality assurance

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