For many agriculture students, the Agriculturist Licensure Examination (ALE) is not just an exam—it is the recognition of their hard work, the gateway to their profession, and the hope of serving the farmers who feed our nation. But for a growing number of graduates from specialized programs like Bachelor of Agricultural Technology (BAT) and BS Agribusiness, this dream has turned into a nightmare.
Why? Because their schools failed them.
Under PRC Resolution No. 2000-663, agriculture graduates must complete 27 units across six foundation subjects: Crop Science, Animal Science, Soil Science, Crop Protection, Agricultural Economics, and Agricultural Extension and Communication. These are not optional. These are the core competencies of an agriculturist. And yet, some universities continue to send off graduates without ensuring they have taken these vital subjects. The result? These graduates are disqualified from the ALE—robbed of their chance to become licensed agriculturists.
This is not just negligence. This is betrayal.
Imagine studying four years, sacrificing time, money, and effort, only to discover at graduation that your school never gave you the subjects required for licensure. Imagine preparing for review, only to be told you cannot even register for the board exam because your transcript lacks Agricultural Extension or Agricultural Economics. Many graduates were forced to enroll in other schools just to make up for their institution’s failure. Some, overwhelmed by financial burden and bureaucratic red tape, simply gave up.
Let us be clear: this is not the fault of the students. This is the fault of institutions that failed to align their curriculum with PRC requirements—despite those requirements being in place since 2002. More than two decades have passed, and yet some colleges still have not updated their programs. How many batches of students must be sacrificed before schools take responsibility?
Worse, some universities even refused to issue transcripts marked “For Board Exam Purposes”, telling graduates their degree is not recognized for licensure. This is a blatant abdication of duty. Schools are supposed to empower their students, not block their future. To hide behind bureaucracy while students’ careers are at stake is nothing short of cruel.
The consequences are devastating. These graduates are delayed, demoralized, and in some cases, denied the very future they worked for. In a sector as critical as agriculture—where we desperately need more young professionals—this systemic neglect is unacceptable.
It is time to stop treating this as an isolated inconvenience. This is a structural failure that demands accountability.
CHED must enforce stricter oversight of agriculture programs. PRC must coordinate with CHED to ensure that every school offering agriculture degrees complies with licensure requirements. Universities that continue to neglect their curricula should be sanctioned, and their programs suspended until corrected.
And to the students who have been wronged: do not stay silent. Organize, demand accountability from your alma maters, and bring your grievances to CHED and PRC. The future of agriculture cannot afford more silent victims of institutional failure.
If agriculture is the backbone of our country, then our students are the lifeblood of that backbone. To betray them is to betray our farmers, our food security, and our nation.
Enough is enough. Students should not pay the price for their schools’ negligence.
#TheBreedersEye #Editorial #Agriculture #BoardExamination #ALE
No comments:
Post a Comment