Ruling on exam retake in line with CA — Palace
Ruling on exam retake in line with CA — Palace
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Malacañang yesterday said whatever its decision on the issue of a retake in the tainted nursing licensure examinations last June would be in accordance with the ruling of the Court of Appeals (CA).
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said President Arroyo, in making her decision within the next few days on whether there should be retake of the nursing licensure exams, would not disregard the CA ruling for a selective retake.
"The Court of Appeals is a separate branch of government and we will not disregard it. We have to comply with the directives of the court," Ermita said in an interview with radio station DZRH.
The CA ruled for a "selective retake" of Tests 3 and 5 of the nursing licensure exams among the 1,687 examinees who originally failed the exams but subsequently passed when the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) implemented the so-called "Ibe Formula" which invalidated 20 questions of Test 3 and toned down the weight of Test 5 from 20 to 10 percent.
The CA also ruled that the 1,186 examinees who originally passed the nursing licensure exams last June 11 and 12, 2006 but failed as a result of implementation of the Ibe Formula should be allowed to take their oaths and granted licenses along with other successful examinees representing 41.24 percent of the total 42,006 nursing graduates who took the exams last June.
The CA also acknowledged the findings of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) that the leakage of the contents of the nursing licensure exams was confined to some parts of Manila and Baguio.
The court also said that those who would be found by the NBI, the PRC, and the Board of Nursing to have attended the "final coaching session" of Gapuz, Inress, and Pentagon nursing review centers should be required to retake Tests 3 and 5.
Ermita said the CA’s ruling will set the guidelines for Mrs. Arroyo’s coming decision on whether to approve the recommendations of Labor Secretary Arturo Brion on who should take the retake of Tests 3 and 5.
He expressed confidence that Brion’s recommendation, expected to be submitted to the President during the weekend, would be in accordance to the ruling of the CA.
Ermita said Mrs. Arroyo would be able to decide on whether to approve Brion’s recommendation by Tuesday, at the latest.
Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye welcomed the decision of the CA, as he assured of the government’s compliance and respect for the decision that would "revive the integrity of the nursing profession while being fair to all."
"Those who are guilty will be punished while those who are innocent will be spared. But the matter does not end there. We shall continue to undertake all measures to make sure this unfortunate incident is not repeated," Bunye said.
