CoA tells CHEd: Shut subpar nursing schools

The Commission on audit urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to phase out the nursing programs in colleges and universities whose graduates perform badly in state licensure examinations.

According to the CoA, it was necessary for the CHEd to exercise its regulatory function to “maintain and protect standards set to ensure the quality of nursing graduates.”

Only a small number of schools nationwide are able to have at least 50% of their graduates pass the nursing licensure exam. In 108 nursing schools nationwide, only 25 to 50 percent of graduates passed the PRC nursing board examinations, the CoA said. Worse, some schools even fail to pass a single student.

It is clear that if CHEd would not do its regulatory function of closing down poorly performing nursing schools, continuing deterioration of nursing quality in the country is inevitable.