Maritime Higher Education Institutions (MHEIs) were instructed to submit their updated syllabi for “evaluation purposes” before this month ends.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) issued Joint CHED-MARINA Marina Advisory No. 1 series of 2022 dated Feb. 2, 2022 to remind MHEIs to strict comply with issuances related to Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (SCTW) Code and other related policies.
Signed by CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera III and MARINA Administrator VADM Robert Empedrad AFP (Ret), all MHEIs were directed to ensure their compliance with the policy, standards and guidelines provided in JCMMC No. 1 series of 2019, CMO No. 67 series of 2017 and CMO No. 14 series of 2018.
“All MHEIs offering maritime programs under the above-mentioned policies shall review and revise their syllabi to ensure compliance with competencies in STCW) Code,” CHED and MARINA said in the joint advisory.
“More specifically, MHEIs shall include their syllabi the relevant and updated reference materials, filled-up practical/laboratory exercises, filled-up assessment tools (theoretical and practical) in the list of available equipment being used for the conduct of practical /laboratory exercises,” the agencies said.
The updated syllabi should be submitted by the MHEIs for “evaluation purposes” to the MARINA STCW Office through CHED Office of Programs and Standards Development (OPSD) not later than March, 1, 2022.
“MHEIs whose syllabi are found to be non-compliant to the requirements of STCW shall be prioritized in the conduct of regular monitoring and shall be subjected to appropriate sanctions based on existing rules and regulations,” CHED and MARINA said.
The joint advisory was issued pursuant to the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 7722 otherwise known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994”, RA No. 10635 and its Implementing Rules And Regulations (IRR) which established the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) as the Single Maritime Administration of the Republic of the Philippines; Executive Order (EO) No. 63 and its IRR which further strengthen the authority of MARINA as Single Maritime Administration.