COTABATO CITY — Member of Parliament Tomanda Antok has filed a priority bill seeking to establish a separate Bangsamoro Commission on Higher Education (BCHE) to oversee tertiary education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

At present, higher education in BARMM falls under the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE), which also oversees basic and technical education. Antok said the proposed measure seeks to align the region’s education structure with the national system, where the Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) operate as separate agencies.

Under the proposal, the BCHE would regulate colleges and universities in the region, including the approval of academic programs. Antok said courses would be evaluated based on their relevance to industry, community, and government needs.

The bill also cites college access and retention as concerns, noting reports that many senior high school graduates do not proceed to higher education. Antok said a separate commission could help address dropout rates through stronger oversight and policy focus on tertiary education.

Another provision of the proposed measure involves the use of updated textbooks and learning materials. Antok said college-level instructional materials should not be older than three years, citing concerns that outdated resources affect graduate preparedness for current industry requirements.

The bill establishing the Bangsamoro Commission on Higher Education is expected to be taken up for deliberation in upcoming sessions of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament.