The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has proposed reducing college General Education (GE) units from 36 to 18-21. While it is presented as a step toward modernization, the proposal weakens one of the most important purposes of higher education: teaching students how to think critically through exposure to diverse fields of knowledge.

General Education courses expose students to history, literature, philosophy, social sciences, and other disciplines beyond their chosen field. This diversity of learning teaches students how to analyze ideas, question information, understand different perspectives, and make informed judgments. Critical thinking does not develop in isolation. It grows when students engage with different experiences, cultures, beliefs, and social realities.

These courses are even more important today. Misinformation spreads rapidly, historical facts are distorted online, and political division continues to deepen. Social media platforms often reward outrage, shallow thinking, and blind conformity instead of careful reflection and truth. In this environment, students need more opportunities to question, examine evidence, and understand the society around them.

Modernization should not come at the expense of General Education courses. Progress in education should strengthen a student's understanding of culture, ethics, and society, not reduce it. Cutting GE units limits the space for students to reflect on the realities faced by ordinary Filipinos and understand the nation they belong to.

Some argue that the Philippines gives too many GE courses compared to other countries that focus more on internships and specialization. But the Philippine experience is different. Our national identity remains complicated, shaped by colonial history, social inequality, and political division. Because of this, students need a stronger grounding in history, language, culture, and society. Nation-building begins with citizens who understand who they are, what country they belong to, and what they must strive for as part of the Inang Bayan.

College should not only prepare students for employment. It should develop citizens capable of thinking for themselves. A country that weakens critical education does not move forward intellectually. It becomes easier to mislead, manipulate, and divide.