CHED orders nursing program in 5 Davao schools to close

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has ordered the closure of the nursing program of five schools operating in Davao region.

Raul Alvarez Jr., regional director of CHED here, said that he had just received the order of the CHED en banc on Monday, citing the non-compliance of the said schools to meet the standards especially on hitting the 30 percent passing rate of the Nursing Board Licensure Examination.

However, Alvarez refused to divulge the names of the schools pending his formal letter to be submitted to school administrators informing them of the CHED order.

“In fairness to them, we should first inform them before we will publicize them,” he told reporters during the Club 888 Forum at the Marco Polo Hotel Wednesday.

Alvarez said there are around 30 schools in the region offering nursing courses, most of them are located in Davao City.

He confirmed that more than 10 nursing programs were already closed in the past years because of failing to meet the standards of CHED.

“Starting June, these five schools are no longer allowed to enroll nursing students. Those firsts to third year students are advised to enroll to other schools,” he said.

This came even as one of the nursing schools here, San Pedro College (SPC), has been consistent to be one of the schools nationwide to have the highest passing rate.

SPC, considered the best nursing school in Mindanao, was hailed as the Top 8 Best Performing Nursing School in the Philippines, with also eight takers, topping in the 2012 examination.

The school also has one of the most numbers of examinees: 500 first takers and 29 re-takers. Out of the said number 473 passed with the total percentage of 89.41 percent. Surprisingly, 93 percent of the first takers were able to make it. (PNA)