Friday, June 24, 2011

BU best in Bicol

Many high school students dream about going to Manila for college. Although most of the best universities are indeed located in the capital, there are good universities where you are. Take Bicol for example. Whether you want to become a nurse, engineer or an accountant, Bicolanos who can’t afford to move or who prefer to stay with their families don’t need to go to congested Metro Manila.

As most of you would expect, this list is short because I only included universities accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). I based this list on their performance in the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) 2010-2011 examinations in nursing, civil engineering, education and accountancy, and the number of CHED centers of excellence they have. Here are the top 3 universities in Bicol:

#1 BICOL UNIVERSITY – LEGASPI
This unassuming state university is the best one in Bicol. Affectionately called BU by its students and alumni, it scores an impressive 83.33% passing rate in the PRC accounting board exams, the best in the region. In addition, 74.57% (#1 in Bicol) of its graduates in nursing are now registered nurses. In architecture, 45.95% (also #1 in Bicol) of its graduates passed. BU’s College of Education was also designated by CHED as a Center of Excellence.

#2 ATENEO DE NAGA UNIVERSITY
Following BU closely is Jesuit-run Ateneo de Naga. It has been designated as a Center of Excellence in teacher education and Center of Development in business education, entrepreneur education and information technology. Its passing percentages in civil engineering (69.57%) and secondary education (57.53%) are the highest among universities in Bicol while it had the 3rd best passing rate in nursing (63.22%) and in accountancy (59%).

#3 UNIVERSIDAD DE SANTA ISABEL
Another university in Naga, the Universidad de Santa Isabel is a Center of Excellence in teacher education. It has a respectable 73.51% passing rate (#2 in Bicol) in the nursing licensure exams of the PRC.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

The worst nursing schools in the Philippines

Nurses are everywhere these days. You don’t believe me? Ask the human resources department of your company if you have co-workers who are graduates of nursing. A few work as company nurses. Some are in jobs not related to their field of study. I’m not blaming them. Getting a job is hard and it’s harder for the nursing graduates, even for registered nurses, because there are so many of them. There shouldn’t be.

Good thing Dr. Patricia Licuanan of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is getting the idea. She has announced the closure of substandard schools in nursing. To set them apart, the CHED is looking at schools which perform poorly in the nursing licensure examinations. Too bad she declined to identify these schools that are a waste of your money. This list would have helped parents and students avoid these diploma mills.

Fortunately, this data is readily available on the Internet. You need only go to the websites of CHED and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to see the passing percentages in the July 2010 and December 2010 board exam for nurses.

To be considered among the worst, a school must have a passing percentage of less than 10% in 1 of the 2 exams and must have a combined average of less than 30%. In the list, you will notice that there are 10 schools which have zero passing rates. The worst of the lot is Galang Medical Center with all of its 14 graduates failing. Also performing poorly are four branches of STI, two campuses of St. Mary’s and Lyceum. ACSAT Quezon City and Unciano Colleges Manila are not doing so good either.

Please note that the December 2010 exam’s average passing rate was 35.26 percent, lower than the 41.4 percent passing rate documented in July 2010 or a combined average of 38.33%.

THE WORST NURSING SCHOOLS IN THE PHILIPPINES
(in alphabetical order)

1. Abubakar Computer Learning Center (1/24 = 4.17%)
2. Ago Foundation College (16/122 = 13.11%)
3. Asian College of Science and Technology Quezon City (20/114 = 17.54%)
4. Central Ilocandia College of Science and Technology (19/167 = 11.38%)
5. Christian College of Tanauan (2/16 = 12.50%)
6. De Los Santos-STI College - Quezon Ave. (1/9 = 11.11%)
7. DMMA College of Southern Philippines (formerly Davao Merchant) (11/103 = 10.68%)
8. Dr. Gloria D. Lacson Colleges (41/438 = 9.36%)
9. Dr. P. Ocampo Colleges (16/245 = 6.53%)
10. Eastern Visayas Central College (2/65 = 3.08%)
11. Eastwoods Professional College of Science and Technology - Balanga, Bataan (0/12 = 0.00%)
12. Escuela De Nuestra Senora de La Sallete (8/71 = 11.27%)
13. Felipe R. Verallo Memorial Foundation (23/225 = 10.22%)
14. Fellowship Baptist College (47/195 = 24.10%)
15. F.L. Vargas College - Abulug (0/7 = 0.00%)
16. Florencio L. Vargas College - Tuguegarao (29/153 = 18.95%)
17. Galang Medical Center (0/14 = 0.00%)
18. Guagua National Colleges (7/55 = 12.73%)
19. Holy Child College of Butuan (12/163 = 7.36%)
20. Holy Child School of Davao (5/69 = 7.25%)
21. Isabelo B. Calingasan Memorial Institute (0/10 = 0.00%)
22. Jamiatu Marawi Al Islamia Foundation (2/17 = 11.76%)
23. L.F. Gonzales College of Science & Technology (6/78 = 7.69%)
24. Lanao Islamic Paramedical College-Marawi City (0/6 = 0.00%)
25. Lyceum Northwestern - Florencia T. Duque College (17/184 = 9.24%)
26. Lyceum of Northern Luzon (48/427 = 11.24%)
27. Mapandi Memorial College (7/59 = 11.86%)
28. Mariam School of Nursing (12/55 = 21.82%)
29. Masbate College (5/46 = 10.87%)
30. Mati Doctors College (16/72 = 22.22%)
31. Medina College Ipil (31/320 = 9.69%)
32. Medina College Pagadian (St. John General Hospital) (60/621 = 9.66%)
33. Mindanao Autonomous College Foundation (6/27 = 22.22%)
34. Mindanao Medical Foundation College (110/989 = 11.12%)
35. Mondriaan Aura College (0/3 = 0.00%)
36. Mount Carmel College - Bulacan (15/137 = 10.95%)
37. Notre Dame of Kidapawan College (25/117 = 21.37%)
38. Perpetual Help Paramedical School (0/2 = 0.00%)
39. Philippine College of Science and Technology - Calasiao (6/71 = 8.45%)
40. PIMSAT Colleges (4/163 = 2.45%)
41. Polytechnic College of La Union (17/170 = 10.00%)
42. Saint Francis of Assisi College (18/89 = 20.22%)
43. Saint John College - Calamba (11/44 = 25.00%)
44. Saint Rita College of Nursing and Midwifery (31/242 = 12.81%)
45. Southern Philippines College of Science and Health Education (3/14 = 21.43%)
46. Southwestern Mindanao Islamic Institute (1/24 = 4.17%)
47. St. Mary's College of San Juan (20/374 = 5.35%)
48. St. Mary's College of Quezon City (17/95 = 17.89%)
49. Sta. Clara de Montefalco College Inc. (2/34 = 5.88%)
50. STI College of Mindanao - Cagayan de Oro City (15/56 = 26.79%)
51. STI College - Zamboanga City (15/153 = 9.80%)
52. STI College - Meycauayan (0/6 = 0.00%)
53. Sultan Kudarat Educational Institution (37/202 = 18.32%)
54. Trinitas College - Meycauayan (2/14 = 14.29%)
55. Unciano Colleges and General Hospital - Manila (25/215 = 11.63%)
56. University of the Philippine School of Health and Sciences - Leyte (0/2 = 0.00%)
57. World Citi Colleges, Caloocan (0/1 = 0.00%)