Exploring the Perspectives of General Education Instructors Amid the Reduction of GE Units in Philippine Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67167/vertex.635Keywords:
general education, curriculum reform, higher education, faculty perspectivesAbstract
This study explored the perspectives of General Education (GE) instructors regarding the proposed reduction of General Education units in Philippine higher education. Grounded in Dewey’s Theory of Progressive Education and Freire’s Critical Pedagogy, the study examined how instructors perceived the rationale behind the reform and the opportunities and challenges associated with its implementation. A descriptive qualitative research design was employed, involving twelve General Education instructors from higher education institutions in Zamboanga City selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that instructors generally questioned the rationale for reducing GE units, viewing the proposal as driven by workforce-oriented priorities that may undermine holistic learning. Participants expressed concerns regarding limited faculty consultation, the erosion of liberal education traditions, threats to educational quality, and potential inequities for disadvantaged students. Despite these reservations, instructors identified opportunities for curriculum redesign, stronger alignment with student needs, increased interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative teaching practices. However, they also anticipated significant challenges, including threats to job security, difficulties in covering core learning competencies, reduced student exposure to broad knowledge areas, and uncertainty arising from unclear implementation guidelines. The study concludes that while curriculum reform may offer opportunities for innovation and improvement, its success depends on meaningful stakeholder engagement, careful planning, and the preservation of the broader educational purposes of General Education. The findings highlight the importance of balancing responsiveness to contemporary educational demands with the intellectual, civic, and humanistic goals that remain central to higher education in the Philippine context.
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