On May 12, 2026, educators, students, and advocacy groups submitted petitions to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in Manila, calling for the rejection of a proposed overhaul of the general education (GE) curriculum.
The petitioners, organized by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, expressed strong opposition to CHED's plan to reduce the number of GE units from 36 to 18. They gathered nearly 2,000 signatures to support their cause and submitted a consolidated petition along with individual position papers.
Carl Marc Ramota, ACT Philippines' vice chairperson, emphasized the need for CHED to halt the proposed changes and engage in comprehensive consultations with various education stakeholders. He stated, “Don’t rush the process; listen to the many petitions.”
Petitioners argue that the proposed GE curriculum reflects a market-driven approach to higher education, which they believe threatens the jobs of numerous teachers.
Following the petition filing, representatives from various faculty unions met with CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis and other officials to discuss their concerns.
We assure you… we listen and we collect data and validate,” Agrupis assured during the meeting.
CHED
Reports indicate that approximately 8,000 educators could be affected by the proposed curriculum changes, based on data provided by over 200 higher education institutions to CHED.
Agrupis acknowledged the significance of gathering more petitions and position papers to finalize the revised curriculum.
When asked whether the pilot testing, scheduled for the 2026-2027 academic year, would be postponed until a more refined version of the proposal is ready, Agrupis could not provide a definitive answer.
This petition comes shortly after CHED held a public hearing on May 5 to present its plans for reducing GE units.