18/05/2026
CAS Executive Committee Statement
on CHED's Reframed GE Curriculum*
As the center of liberal education and foundation courses in UPLB, the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) firmly upholds the belief that General Education (GE) is indispensable for developing well-rounded graduates who must not only possess academic readiness for their professional life or advanced studies. They must also be equipped with the ethical rigor and intellectual grounding required of critical, adaptable, and responsible members of society. While the College recognizes the need to regularly review and improve GE courses, it maintains that such changes must not dilute or remove the core disciplines of the humanities, social sciences, philosophy, and the sciences. These fields provide students with the vital competencies for analytical and critical thought, effective communication, moral discernment, creativity, problem-solving, and a deep understanding of the scientific, cultural, and historical forces that shape our world. These core courses and competencies are what make GE meaningful and, as such, must be steadfastly defended.
CHED’s proposal to reduce the GE courses and integrate the disciplines in the proposed five courses raises concern over what the reframed GE wishes to emphasize. One of the proposal’s objectives is explicit in making GE responsive to the “evolving demands of learners, industries, and communities.” While the CAS acknowledges this need, it supports the view that GE need not only be “aligned” or instrumentalized to meet these demands. CAS strongly upholds GE’s indispensable role in educating learners, contributing to industries, and initiating transformative change in communities. GE nurtures the mind to think critically, rationally and ethically. GE nurtures the soul, enriching learners with a sense of history and humanity. CHED’s proposal, however, neglects the paramount role of GE in shaping future professionals grounded on holistic education. It suggests a framework that ignores the role of the arts, humanities, social sciences, and philosophy in honing learners to be work-ready, adaptive, efficient, and valuable contributors in the society. Rather, it treats GE as a tool for producing technocratic and unreflective graduates ready to be absorbed in the labor market.
The CAS thus rejects the present proposal to reframe the GE framework. Any change as huge as what CHED is proposing requires a comprehensive review of the current framework. Basing the proposal mainly on EDCOM 2 and the experimentation in SHS curriculum is inadequate. The voices of all stakeholders need to be heard, especially that of the students whose education is now threatened to be merely utilitarian. It is imperative that we unite to safeguard the freedom to seek and produce knowledge, regardless of their immediate utility in the professional industries.
The College maintains its commitment to a GE framework that champions holistic learning, underscoring the significant role of liberal education in molding graduates who are not merely ready for their professions, but who have solid intellectual and moral grounding. It firmly believes that GE should cultivate a genuine pursuit of knowledge, develop core values, and equip learners with skills to tackle complex issues and adapt to rapidly changing environments. CAS urges fellow educators, students, and academic institutions to stand in solidarity to protect a genuine GE for the benefit of future generations.
*Approved by the CAS Executive Committee in their meeting on 14 May 2026
