A Senate Bill has been introduced by Senator Win Gatchalian that aims to provide a three-year specialization college education in the Philippines, reducing the current required minimum from four years to three. The bill, to be known as the “Three-Year College Education (3CE) Act,” is based on the assumption that college education should focus on immediate specialization, with general education (GE) courses completed during basic education. It assumes that attempts by some sectors to shorten basic education to 10 years by repealing the K to 12 Law will not succeed and that Senior High School (SHS), comprising Grades 11 and 12, will be retained.

The proposed bill assumes that the subjects taken during SHS are sufficient to deliver what it calls General Education. It defines this as the “component of the curriculum oriented toward broad or wide-ranging understandings” that exposes students to various domains of knowledge, develops critical and creative thinking, and fosters civic capacities.

This proposed law is intended to shorten the time it takes for K to 12 graduates to qualify for a specific profession or knowledge-intensive occupation—such as law, medicine, teaching, or a career as a social or physical scientist—as distinguished from occupations requiring manual skills, often called “vocational courses.” There is an explicit provision removing GE courses from the college curriculum, mandating that they “shall not be required for the completion of the requirements of any bachelor’s degree in higher education institutions.” The assumption is that all necessary GE courses, including those in communication, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics, can be integrated and completed within the SHS Program under the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum.

As a college educator for more than 60 years at institutions including Harvard University, De La Salle University, the University of the Philippines, and the University of Asia and the Pacific, I beg to differ. I do not believe all the general or liberal arts education courses needed for a thorough preparation for knowledge-intensive professions can be completed by the average student during their SHS years. Some liberalizing subjects, like Philosophy, Literature, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and the Physical Sciences, must be offered at a higher level of knowledge at the college level if we are to produce world-class professionals—be they medical doctors, lawyers, economists, scientists, or engineers. I contend that at the average teenage years of 16 to 18, when students are enrolled in SHS, they are not yet mature enough emotionally and intellectually to fully benefit from liberal arts subjects. The exposure they get in the K to 12 curriculum merely provides an intellectual foundation for lifelong learning, but it is not sufficient to prepare them for knowledge-intensive professions, especially as the Philippines increasingly navigates what is called the Industrial Revolution 4.0—with its focus on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Data Science.

To understand this point better, let me more fully describe the objectives of a liberal arts, general education, or humanities program. According to ChatGPT, a liberal arts education originally included the seven classical subjects divided into two groups: the Trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic) and the Quadrivium (arithhetics, geometry, music, and astronomy). Today, a liberal arts curriculum typically includes a wide range of subjects in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and sometimes the arts, such as literature, philosophy, history, psychology, and sociology.

A liberal arts education promotes the development of critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills. It also fosters adaptability, lifelong learning, and a broad understanding of various subjects, preparing graduates to be well-rounded individuals for diverse careers and future challenges. A liberal arts education emphasizes analytical and critical thinking, encouraging students to evaluate information, form seasoned arguments, and solve complex problems. This is achieved through a curriculum that often uses interdisciplinary approaches, where students are exposed to diverse perspectives and are encouraged to connect different fields of study. This multi-disciplinary thinking is especially critical for medical practitioners, economists, other social scientists, top business executives, and physical scientists.

Strong communication skills are also very important for knowledge-based professionals. Liberal arts programs typically focus on developing both written and oral communication skills, which are crucial for success in professional work. Students learn to articulate their ideas clearly and persuasively through essays, presentations, or discussions. A liberal arts education equips students with a broad skillset applicable to various career paths. Those exposed to the liberal arts are generally more adaptable to a changing job market, especially in our digital age, and can readily acquire new knowledge and skills throughout their lives.

A liberal arts education goes beyond just preparing people for high-paying jobs. It cultivates a deeper appreciation for the humanities, arts, and culture, making graduates more well-rounded individuals. It also provides a strong foundation for personal growth in values and virtues. Liberal arts education fosters a sense of social responsibility and encourages students to become informed and engaged citizens of their respective countries. At the global level, it promotes understanding of diverse cultures, perspectives, and ethical issues, enabling students to contribute meaningfully to society.

Clearly, all of these potential benefits can hardly be reaped if general or liberal arts education is not continued during the first two years of college, as the future professional matures emotionally and intellectually beyond their teenage years. Offering liberal arts subjects in the college curriculum does not involve duplication. Rather, it is a deepening of knowledge and experience in subjects such as Philosophy, Literature, and the Social Sciences. Having taught Economics at the high school level as well as part of the liberal arts program in college, I can attest to the fact that there was no duplication of educational effort. I can say the same thing about the teaching of Math. While Linear Algebra and Calculus can hardly be included in a typical SHS curriculum, I am strongly convinced that these subjects are indispensable in a GE program for every college student, regardless of the profession they choose. I cannot think of any knowledge-intensive profession that will not require a minimum understanding of derivatives and integrals as studied in Calculus, especially as AI increasingly encroaches on every profession and even on technical occupations.