Marina eyes major reforms in maritime education, training

Marina eyes major reforms in maritime education, training
November 17, 2021 https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/11/17/business/maritime/marina-eyes-maj...

Graduation ceremony of young marine officers from the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) in Kamaya Point, the 12th of December 2014 CONTRUBUTED PHOTO
The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) plans to introduce major reforms in the Philippine maritime education and training by removing the one-year On-Board Training (OBT) from the BS Marine Transportation (BSMT) and BS Marine Transportation (BSMarE) programs.

With barely seven months remaining at the helm, Marina Administrator VAdm Robert Empedrad made public his plan to adopt the scheme from his alma mater, Philippine Military Academy (PMA), which does not require an apprenticeship in completing a bachelor's degree. During an online show of Marino Filipino TV, Empedrad explained that he modeled the proposed changes in the BSMT AND BSMarE curriculum from the educational system of the nation's military academy.

"(We) compared this to PMA. Pag graduate ng mga kadete, they become officers pero hindi nila alam kung Air Force, Navy or Army. Sa pag-distribute ng graduates ng PMA, for example, those going to the Navy, they will be trained for one year before totally maging Navy officers sila."He said they have to undergo the Naval Officers' Qualification Course for one year before they can board a Philippine Navy ship.

Under the said scheme, Emperad explained, "Like when BSMArE and BSMT graduates start their shipboard training (instead of during the course where most of them cannot be accommodated onboard ships and therefore cannot graduate after 4 years), the principal will see the difference of competent future seafarers because they will undergo more simulator training and practical exercises during their course.
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Marina can now focus on developing and building up the competence and progressive careers of the seafarers thru training to be offered by Maritime Training Institutions (MTI). We will focus on the MTIs rather than MHEIs where CHED is the final authority". STCW Office Executive Director VAdm Rene Medina, who further elaborated on what he calls the proposed enhanced curriculum standardization for BSMT and BSmarE programs explained that they will continue to be four-year courses, but instead of the present onboard training on the fourth year, students would remain in school for additional subjects and more laboratory activities and practical training using simulators.

"We will make four straight years ang BS (degree) natin. In the fourth year, instead of the onboard training, whatever they do onboard ships, they can perform first on land. It will be more focused on more laboratory and simulator (training) and will add subjects needed to prepare the students for work after graduation."

Summing up the proposed curricular changes, Medina said, "Tatanggalin na po natin ang OBT at straight na four-year course na siya, and we will introduce more laboratory activities and simulator training."

These include, Medina said: "Regime of island, territorial sea, contiguous zone, seafarers' responsibilities within that regime of island, freedom of navigation and right of innocent passage so our seafarers would be at par with other seafarers of other countries." Further, the proposal will also serve as corrective action to shortcomings identified by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in the implementation of the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention, particularly on the structured shipboard training "This is one of our interventions," the STCW Office Executive Director said adding that "hagip na rin po rito ang compliance natin sa EMSA para, at least, ang mga estudyante natin pagka-graduate po nila mas maalam na sila."

Under the proposed setup, the student can complete the BSMT and BSMarE programs and graduate. Upon graduation, they may commence the one-year OBT under Marina's supervision. After completing the 12 months, they will be issued their Certificate of Competency (COC) by the maritime Administration.

The proposal has already been presented to the Technical Panel for Maritime Education (TPME), the body tasked to recommend to CHED en banc any curricular changes to the maritime programs. Even just a few months away from the end of his term, Empedrad, who chairs the TPME, remains confident the proposal can be implemented very soon.

"In the shift to new curriculum the first-year level (may start) next year, 2022-2023; the second year in 2023-2024, the third year in 2024-2025. So sa (academic year) 2025-2026, pwede na nating i-implement ito."