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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider CHED unveils roadmap for Philippine higher education reform at 2025 summit

CHED unveils roadmap for Philippine higher education reform at 2025 summit

CHED Chairperson Agrupis marks first 100 days with higher education summit, ACHIEVE agenda launch

Published Sep 15, 2025 02:08 pm
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley Agrupis marks her first 100 days with the Higher Education Summit, launching the ACHIEVE Agenda for reform in Philippine higher education. (Merlina Hernando-Malipot / Manila Bulletin)
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley Agrupis marks her first 100 days with the Higher Education Summit, launching the ACHIEVE Agenda for reform in Philippine higher education. (Merlina Hernando-Malipot / Manila Bulletin)
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) gathered national government agencies, academic leaders, and private partners at the historic Manila Hotel on Monday, September 15, for the “Converge to ACHIEVE: The Higher Education Summit.”
The event, which marked the first 100 days in office of CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, featured a symbolic commitment signing on the “Wall of Convergence,” where agencies pledged support for CHED’s 7-point ACHIEVE Agenda—a reform roadmap aimed at advancing access, quality, and innovation in Philippine higher education.
Key partnerships sealed
During the summit, CHED formalized strategic collaborations through memoranda of agreement and joint circulars with partner agencies:
- Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for the creation of the Board of Curriculum Standards and Discipline to align Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and higher education pathways.
- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for workforce development initiatives aimed at strengthening the education-to-employment transition.
- Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for programs to advance the educational and career pathways of overseas Filipino workers.
- Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for the promotion of human rights education in higher education institutions.
- Unilab Education for innovation-driven professional development and industry collaboration.
During the event, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara --- through Assistant Secretary Carmela Oracion --- conveyed a statement of support to reinforce synergy across the trifocalized education system.
“The higher education summit is a powerful testament to the urgency of collaboration in uplifting education in our country,” he said.
ACHIEVE as a roadmap for reform
In her keynote speech, Agrupis outlined the ACHIEVE Agenda, which stands for: Advanced and Accessible Lifelong Learning; Centralized Human Capital Development; Harmonized SDG-Based Research and Innovation; Integrated Real-Time Data and Analytics; Expanded Internationalization Strategies; Vitalized Policies and Governance; and Effective and Efficient Public Service.
“These first 100 days are just the beginning,” Agrupis said. “Real progress waits for no one. Change does not come from intention alone—it demands bold action, relentless discipline, and accountability,” she added.
Agrupis also emphasized that higher education must directly respond to job mismatches, industry demands, and equity in access, noting that the ACHIEVE framework is designed to ensure Filipino students, educators, and institutions are future-ready.
“Our mission is to ensure that education is not just a privilege but a guarantee,” Agrupis stressed. “With the ACHIEVE framework, we will build a higher education system that empowers learners, strengthens communities, and drives national progress.”
Strong support from education and government leaders
The summit was attended by representatives of President Marcos, TESDA Director General Jose Francisco Benitez, DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma, DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac, and CHR Commissioner Justice Monina Arevalo Zenarosa, alongside leaders of state universities, private HEIs, and partner organizations.
Agrupis, a former state university president and CHED commissioner, drew from her own journey as a first-generation college graduate to highlight the urgency of reforms. “We cannot afford to fail; the future of our students, our workforce, and our country depends on it,” she said.
Toward a ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ through education
Agrupis said the Higher Education Summit reaffirmed CHED’s commitment to align its policies with Bagong Pilipinas, the administration’s vision for national renewal.
She added that through ACHIEVE, and with the collective strength of its partners, CHED can turn “challenges into opportunities and aspirations into reality.”
“This is our moment to act decisively. This is our moment to lead courageously. Together, we will not only imagine a brighter future, we will build it—brick by brick, student by student, institution by institution. Bagong Pilipinas starts here, and it starts with us,” she added.

Related Tags

CHED CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis Higher Education Summit 2025 CHED ACHIEVE Agenda Philippine higher education reform Bagong Pilipinas CHED reforms 2025
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