THE Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered its personnel not to enroll in programs offered by substandard schools to maintain support for the drive of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) against “fly-by-night” schools.

“To support the Commission on Higher Education’s unrelenting drive to institute proper reforms, the Department of Education  directs all basic education personnel to refrain from enrolling in the masters and doctoral degree programs not recognized by the commission,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro said in DepEd Order 78.

Luistro said he decided to issue the order due to concern that some DepEd personnel, including teachers, might be tempted to enroll in these schools owing to the lower fees they charge as well as other forms of enticement.

Many teachers are taking up masteral and doctoral programs since it is one of the prerequisite to be promoted to the next higher position, as well as to further their learning and teaching skills.

Luistro said his office is coordinating with CHED Chairman Patricia Licuanan on the issue, even as he said that DepEd personnel interested in taking up postgraduate degree programs should check with the commission itself at telephone numbers 355-2849 and 408-7249.

Aside from this, he also prohibited school officials from allowing persons involved in the operation of these schools as well as erring officers of other schools to hold activities in division DepEd facilities.

Earlier, Licuanan promised to crack down on substandard tertiary schools, adding that there will be no sacred cows during her term as CHED chief.

In appointing Licuanan to the post last year, President Aquino described the CHED as sleeping on the job and directed her to properly address all issues hounding the higher-education sector, particularly the proliferation of substandard tertiary schools and the decline in the overall quality of higher education in the country.

In June the commission directed 32 of these institutions public and private to phase-out or close their deficient courses after monitoring and evaluation showed that they were not up to standard.

Government recognition were also withdrawn from two schools due to noncompliance with CHED policies and standards, Licuanan said.

Likewise, Licuanan announced that 299 noncompliant academic courses that were offered by colleges and universities the previous academic year have been phased-out this year.

The commission said they are also monitoring 405 academic courses that were also found to have some deficiencies.

Licuanan’s predecessor, Emmanuel Angeles, had ordered the closure of six nonperforming law schools after not a single graduate of this schools passed the bar examinations in 10 years.