- PACUCOA officially recognises the British Council’s Aptis test for English proficiency in HEI accreditation from 2025.
- Students must meet B1 level; teachers C1 level aligned with global CEFR standards.
- The move aims to boost graduate employability and align institutions with international academic standards.
The Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA) has now recognized the British Council's Aptis test as an accredited indicator of English ability for higher education institutions (HEIs), from its revised accreditation standards in 2025.
The updated PACUCOA standards, according to PACUCOA Executive Director Dr. Adlai C. Castigador, would address the gaps in English communication skills of graduates and make them more employable. "The new PACUCOA standards seek to fill the gaps in English communication skills of graduates of our accredited schools and to enhance them; thereby, making graduates more employable," he said.
Under the new standards, students need to achieve at least a B1 (Intermediate) level and teachers need to achieve at least a C1 (Advanced) level of mastery on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) a worldwide standard of language competence.
The Aptis test, built by the British Council and benchmarked against CEFR levels, assesses grammar, vocabulary, and all four language skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Take-up across governments, universities, and institutions across more than 85 countries has been widespread, and Aptis has flexible versions to suit different academic and institutional contexts.
The decision follows alarming national literacy statistics. In the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Philippines had a reading literacy score of 347 far lower than the OECD average of 476. Other global standards, including the Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) and Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), ranked the Philippines among the worst-performing countries in English-related skills. Figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority's 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) revealed 93.1% basic literacy, but just 70.8% functional literacy that encompasses comprehension and communication.
“This collaboration enables universities to align with global academic standards, boost their international reputation, and equip students with the English skills essential for success in an interconnected world,” said Lotus Postrado, Country Director of the British Council in the Philippines. “We are honoured by PACUCOA’s recognition and look forward to strengthening this partnership.”
The British Council has been instrumental in promoting the teaching of the English language throughout the Philippines. Through training schemes, collaborative research, and internationallly benchmarked testing tools, it keeps institutions at the cutting edge in terms of improving teaching standards and learning achievement.
"We are extremely thankful for this acknowledgement of Aptis and continue to be dedicated to helping PACUCOA and its member schools develop a better appreciation of CEFR and improve the English communicative abilities of students and educators alike," said Mike Cabigon, Business Development Manager for English and Exams at the British Council Philippines.
