Analysis of the Proposed Three-Year College Education Act

Abstract

The recent proposal to shorten undergraduate degree programs in the Philippines to three years has raised concerns about academic quality, curricular coherence, and institutional readiness. This paper employs a qualitative policy-analysis approach, examining the proposed 3CE Act against Philippine higher education policies, selected ASEAN quality-assurance frameworks, and relevant literature on accelerated and three-year degree structures. It argues that the reform becomes viable only under participatory governance, locally grounded quality assurance, and demonstrably equivalent graduate competencies to the four-year program. The study finds that shortened degree programs may undermine academic quality and create systemic implementation gaps without adequate institutional support. In response, the paper proposes a policy roadmap led by higher education institutions and academics grounded in outcomes-based education, discipline-specific implementation, rigorous monitoring, and stakeholder participation. It concludes that higher education reform must balance efficiency and employability with academic integrity, equity, and education’s broader civic and human development goals.