Educators oppose General Education units’ slashing

Educators and faculty unions marched to the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) main office Tuesday to protest a proposal that would cut college General Education requirements by half.

The protesters, representing various academic organizations, are opposing the “Reframed General Education Curriculum.” The plan seeks to reduce the current 36 units of GE courses to as few as 18 units.

After gathering at the University of the Philippines Diliman, the groups marched to CHEd to submit petitions and position papers calling for the immediate withdrawal of the revisions.

Professor Jonathan Geronimo, convenor of the General Education Movement, characterized the shift as “market-driven,” arguing it prioritizes labor market training over holistic development.

“The university is being reduced into a training center for flexible labor instead of remaining a space for critical inquiry, democratic reflection, and social responsibility,” Geronimo said.

The protesting groups argued that subjects in the humanities and social sciences are essential for developing ethical reasoning and critical thinking — skills they say are vital in combating modern challenges like disinformation.

Geronimo called it “deeply contradictory” for CHEd to propose these cuts while simultaneously acknowledging a national crisis in student reading comprehension.

Beyond the academic impact, faculty organizations warned the move would trigger widespread job displacement.