MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley Agrupis has identified English communication as the country’s weakest skill, underscoring the need to strengthen competencies among students, professionals and government workers.
Agrupis said she raised the concern with Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro during President Marcos’ recent state visit to Cambodia, where they were both part of the official delegation.
“Our weakest skill is soft skill, English communication. Your role is very valuable,” she recalled telling Castro. “Let us develop and implement a micro-credential program in purposive communication, strengthening the competencies of students, professionals and government communicators in ethical, transparent and purposeful communication.”
Speaking at the Converge to ACHIEVE: The Higher Education Summit in Manila, Agrupis also stressed that higher education should not only produce graduates but also prepare a workforce aligned with national and regional priorities.
She acknowledged that while Philippine higher education has advanced through reforms and innovations, persistent challenges remain.
These include funding gaps, fragmented data, inequities in access and curricula that often lag behind the demands of a rapidly changing economy. “Graduates leave our universities with diplomas, yet too many cannot find work. Employers search for talent, yet industries remain understaffed. While the world moves forward, our curricula too often lag behind, leaving our students unprepared,” she said.
Agrupis also urged stakeholders to see education as a guarantee, not merely an aspiration.
“We are a nation overflowing with talent, and we must build pathways that fully match that potential. We cannot build the Bagong Pilipinas on a weak foundation,” she said.
