THE Talisay City College (TCC) is in trouble again.
Just a week before its graduation rites, the local college’s attention was again called by the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) after its officials reportedly failed to get government accreditation for four courses they offered.
Some students of these courses are set to graduate on March 27.
Officials of Ched 7 said that the TCC has to accredit its courses immediately or its graduates could suffer for its lapse.
But Dr. Edgar Martinez, TCC’s caretaker, said that the four courses they offered are legal.
Dr. Josefino Ronquillo, Ched 7 supervising education program specialist, said the agency will send a letter to TCC over their failure to secure government authority for their four courses.
Four of TCC’s courses—Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management, Master in Public Education and Master of Arts in Education, and Doctor in Education—are being questioned for their lack of accreditation.
Of the four courses, only the Doctor in Education program has no students currently enrolled.
Ronquillo said that they earlier informed TCC regarding the status of some of their courses, including the four, and ordered them to stop teaching these until they get the needed accreditation from Ched.
But they heard reports that there are students who are set to graduate from those courses.
At least 42 students from the BSHM and 21 others from the masteral courses are set to graduate next week.
Ronquillo said that since the status of the four courses is being questioned, there is a possibility that the degrees of its graduates could be questioned as well.
But he added that TCC officials can still ask Ched for reconsideration. They have 90 days to comply.
Penalties for failing to secure accreditation for the four courses include fines and closure of the programs.
Ronquillo added that students who graduate from non-accredited courses could face difficulty in looking for jobs or getting promotions.
Ronquillo also advised parents to check the background of the college or university before enrolling their children.
In a separate interview, Martinez told reporters yesterday that the four courses they offered are legal and that they were banking on a consortium agreement with the Cebu Technological University (CTU).
But Martinez said he has to review their consortium agreement since he was only appointed caretaker of TCC recently.
This was not the first time that the LGU-owned college met with controversy.
Last year, the TCC held two graduations after then acting college presidents Richel Bacaltos and Dr. Paulus Mariae Cañete clashed over who was the rightful head of the college.
Bacaltos, who served as the city administrator of former Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez, was appointed by the TCC Board of Trustees.
Cañete, of the Mandaue City College, was appointed by Talisay City Mayor Johnny de los Reyes to replace Bacaltos.