I’m not sure I’ll agree with a University of Baguio official’s proposal to scrap Rizal courses in college but I definitely agree with the proposal to scrap Physical Education. Seriously, I don’t see the relevance of PE as a general education subject. If someone wants to major in PE, then that’s well and good. But to require everyone to take PE courses is just a waste of time and resources.
I actually have a friend from our part of the world who refused to take PE in college. Well, she eventually took the PE classes but she was on her early 30s when she graduated. Eh paano ba naman pinadadamit ng leotard sa kanilang Rhythmics class? Tapos sasayaw pa sila sa Foundation Day?
School officials seek removal of PE, Rizal courses
PDI/Vincent Cabreza
BAGUIO CITY – Officials of colleges and universities in northern Luzon have asked the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to finally drop general subjects like physical education (PE) and courses on national hero Dr. Jose Rizal from their curriculum to make way for specialized subjects.
Veronica Garcia, vice president for academic affairs of the University of Baguio, raised the proposal during a consultation on Friday.
She said this rationalizes college education by removing subjects that students have taken in grade school and high school.
Garcia said keeping university curricula lean during times of economic crisis would reduce a student’s course load as well as his or her tuition expenses.
But Dr. William Medrano, CHEd executive secretary, said changing the curriculum would take too much effort because it will require new legislation.
“These are GE [general education] courses that are legislated… It would be difficult to ignore them. We have to include Rizal [subjects] as mandated by the Constitution… (If we remove them from the curriculum, that would take a tedious process because) we will have to go to Congress,” he said.
Medrano said CHEd still believes there is value to these GE subjects because these serve to “cultivate the value of patriotism.”
The conference was hosted by the University of the Cordilleras, which is now led by former Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus.
De Jesus, UC president, did not attend the forum.
But he told the Inquirer in an earlier interview that the cost of college education continues to grow because of the need to add basic remedial courses for freshmen who have inadequate basic education backgrounds.
Talaga? bakit kaya walang nakaisip n’yan nung kapanahunan natin? hehe
I would agree with offering PE courses as an elective or scrapping it off totally! I’m reminded about a funny experience with the rythmics/leotard thing in college! All my classmates had a 98 but I had 76! You know why? Because I refused to wear short shorts sa PE!
PE is a waste. Jose Rizal should just be added as part of History class in high school.
PMT in high school is another waste. Four of us who refused to get a haircut and wear the uniform were made to “lampaso and wax da office floor” by our Principal Atty Arellano. He let us graduate HS with a lousy grin on his face.
But I’m forever grateful for what he did, a passing grade in PMT without even in uniform.
Ganda, passing ba ang 76?
Cheers!
ay inayan!
let’s leave out PE in college unless someone wants to get it as an elective. but the rizal courses should stay. he’s part of history.
Hi Ganda,
Oops I should have asked you about your leotard experience when we met two weeks ago. That’s a 22% difference sa grade ha. Asar siguro titser sa inyo. Thanks.
Hi Trublue,
Agreed. PE and PMT (is this the CAT/CMT?) are silly subjects in high school and college. Maybe they added it para lang may bumili ng PE at PMT/CMT uniforms hehe.
If their scoring style is like my school’s, where 75 is passing, then Ganda passed her PE 🙂
Hi Chloe,
Agree with you too. Thanks for dropping by. I added you in the blogroll 🙂
d pwede