SAN JOSE, Antique – Dr. J. Prospero E. de Vera III, chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), led the inauguration of over P200-million worth of CHED-supported projects during his visit at the University of Antique (UA) on Jan. 20.
Among the CHED-granted projects inaugurated were the Hot and Cold Kitchen, I-Lab (Innovation Laboratory), Knowledge Development and Records Management, and the Centralized Analytical Testing Laboratory.
“We want to make sure that our students, when they graduate, are industry-ready. They train in actual equipment that they use in the industry…so we can tell the industry (and) the employers that the graduates of UA are industry-ready, and they can work immediately,” Dr. de Vera said.
The Commission also funded the upgrading of the Automotive Technology Program, and improving of the Engineering Programs of UA through provision of Engineering Laboratory Complex, Energy Management Laboratory Facility, upgrading of Power Systems Laboratory – Transformer Trainer with Modular Power System Hub and Connection Cables, upgrading of Materials Testing and Power Plant Laboratories, and the Procurement of Centrifugal Pump and Electronics Module Upgrade to Engineering Laboratory.
Dr. de Vera also stated that access to education should be accompanied by quality, especially now that students already understood the message that they can try to get educated.
“Kung access lang pero poor yung quality, you are just fueling false expectations. There should be a very strong commitment that if we provide access, it should be to quality education. Yung quality of education means you have qualified teachers, you have very good curriculum, and you have the facilities to provide learning,” he further stated.
The CHED Chairman also ensured that the Commission and the national government are doing everything to improve the quality of education in the country.
Currently, UA houses 7,661 Tulong Dunong and Tertiary Education Subsidy beneficiaries among the 32,000 beneficiaries in the whole Region 6, and has the greatest number of grants from CHED in terms of amount for various projects. (Faye Saim-UA)/PN
