The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was tasked to reevaluate 83 maritime schools in the country in the next two years.

(Courtesy of CHED)

CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III, in a Super Radyo dzBB interview on Sunday, April 16, said that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. tasked the commission to complete the reevaluation of the said maritime schools.

This is to help ensure their standard compliance after the European Union (EU) continued to recognize the certificates issued for Filipino seafarers.

De Vera said that initially, the timetable set by CHED is to evaluate 30 schools per year. However, the President asked the commission to increase the targeted number of schools for reevaluation to at least 40.

He added the President also asked CHED if the reevaluation of schools could be done in a shorter period. Instead of three years as initially set by CHED, De Vera said that Commission was asked to finish the process in two years.

A total of 15 maritime programs were already closed since 2022 for being non-compliant with the standards, De Vera said.

Earlier, CHED also expressed its readiness to work with maritime schools as well as with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) for the implementation of reforms suggested by the EU.