Six-year Comparative Analysis of Licensure Examination Performance: The Case of PRMSU BLEPP Takers

The study aimed to correlate the undergraduate General Weighted Average (GWA) and the licensure examination performances of President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU) Board Liscensure Examination for Psychologists and Psychometricial (BLEPP) takers from 2014 to 2019. Further, the study compared the results of the licensure examination based on the subject year taken. Using the quantitative research design, the licensure examination performance data were obtained from the records provided and verified by the Professionl Regulatory Commission (PRC). Meanwhile, the GWA of all the takers from 2014-2019 were acquired from the Office of the Campus Registrar of the aforementioned University. Results had shown that the mean institutional passing rate from 2014 to 2019 is 27.33% while the overall mean of the national passing rate is 50.68% which reflects that the institution has consistent low passing rate compared to the national. Similarly, it was discovered that most test takers had difficulty on the subjects Theories of Personality and Industrial/ Organizational Psychology. Lastly, the study revealed that the undergraduate GWA showed a statistically significant positive linear correlation with the board exam performace (r = .291, p=.008).


Licensure Examination and Quality Education
The successful passing of the licensure examination provided by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) can be one of the in a college graduate's life. The examination given by PRC is an appraisal of every graduate's knowledge, skills, competencies and qualifications in a particular profession. Moreover, the performance of the graduates in the licensure examination explicitly reflects the kind of instruction that the school provides. Furthermore, it is reflective of the graduates' efficiency and effectiveness as they practice their chosen profession or career. This, in turn, ensures the efficiency and effectiveness in which graduates use what they've learnt in their chosen profession or career. The higher standard of performance of the instructional system, and therefore of the students in the licensure examinations, demonstrates the institution's efficiency as well as the intellectual capability of the students that the school has nurtured throughout the course of their stay (Rege, 2008;Sehrawat & Roy, 2021).
Similarly, performance in board examinations is used as one of the indicators of a program's quality. It is an excellent indicator of program excellence if the first-time pass rate is high. (Professional Regulation Commission CHED, 2004). Furthermore, as Hermosisima (2003) points out, graduate achievement on licensing tests is one of the most commonly known markers of the quality of higher education programs in the country. This quality indicator burdens all higher education institutions offering board programs on how to maintain or sustain their high passing rate in the different PRC examinations. The BS Psychology program of President Ramon Magsaysay State University shares the same dilemma with the other board programs offered by the university. The passage of Republic Act No. 10029 or the Philippine Psychology Act of 2009 which regulates the practice of psychology in the Philippines requires psychology graduates who wish to practice the profession should pass the licensure examination to be conducted by the Professional Regulatory Board as stipulated in Article V, Section 11.

Program Curriculum and Institutional Performance in the Licensure Examination
The Psychology Department is being challenged on how to make its institutional performance in the BLEPP higher than the national passing percentage.
The old curriculum used from 2002 to 2013 has no CMO that served as guide as to the subject offerings. The CMO for Psychology was released in 2010. It was only in 2014 that the curriculum was revised as recommended by CHED III RQUAT following CMO No. 38 series of 2010 for the Certificate of Program Compliance application. Moreover, Psychological Statistics and Filipino Psychology were not included in the previous curriculum which are included in the said examination (Najib, Md-Ali & Yaacob, 2022).
More so, it was observed that faculty profile of the program was weak as evidenced by the faculty members' educational qualifications, trainings and competencies. It is sad to note that the faculty remained static as to their professional growth and advancement. Due to this poor profile, there were no qualified faculty members to teach Psychological Assessment and Psychological Statistics.
And lastly, needed resources to supplement instructions were lacking such as updated psychology books and testing materials. There was even no Psychological Research Laboratory with various equipment that can be used by the students for conducting relevant researches.
Records from 2014 to October 2019 showed poor performance of the Psychology graduates who took the examination on those years. According to prcboardnews.com, none out of 4 BS Psychology examinees from PRMSU passed the licensure examination with a passing rate of 0% against the 39.31% national passing percentage in year 2014. Meanwhile, on the year 2015, PRMSU got a passing rate of 16.67% from a total of 6 examinees where 1 of them passed the examination and with a national passing rate of 46.15%. In the year 2016, the passing rate of PRMSU in the Licensure Examination for Psychometricians was 31.82%, with a national passing rate of 50.46% with a total of 7 passing out of 22 examinees. Furthermore, in the year 2017, PRMSU's passing rate in the licensure examination for Psychometrician got a passing rate of 36.84% where 7 out of 19 examinees passed the examination and with a national passing rate of 56.97%. In the subsequent year, 2018, PRMSU registered 42.10% overall rating where 8 out of 19 examinees passed the licensure examination with a national passing rate of 47.73%. Moreover, one of the graduates secured the Top 9 spot in this year's examination. And lastly, in 2019, the University fell short again obtaining 47.37% where 9 out of 19 examinees passed the examination against the 63.73% national passing percentage.
It can be seen in the result of the ratings of the students who took the licensure examination for Psychometrician from year 2014 up to year 2019 that only few of them passed the examination. With that, the researchers believed that if the number of passers will remain at low rate in the subsequent years, there will be a possibility that the course program in the university will be dissolved. More so, poor performance scores/ratings in the examination reflect the abilities of the examinees. Thus, having low percentage of BLEPP passers indicates low quality of teaching being delivered by the university. On the other hand, high percentage of Psychometrician passers contributes greatly to the accreditation level of the program.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Based on the literature reviews and institutional results from the PRC, the study was conducted to identify the relationship between the undergraduate and licensure examination performances. Also, it would like to compare the results in the licensure examination per board subject and per year. Moreover, it aims to answer the following questions; 1.
What is the performance of President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU) takers of the Board for Licensure Examination for Psychometrician (BLEPP) in 2014-2019 compared to the National Passing Percentage (NPR)? 2.
What is the performance of the President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU) takers in the four BLEPP subjects? 3.
What is the relationship between undergraduate General Weighted Average (GWA) takers and their overall ratings in the BLEPP? DOI: 10.48165/sajssh.2022.3405

Research Framework
The study sought to compare the performance of PRMSU takers from 2014-2019 in the Board for Licensure Examination for Psychologists and Psychometricians (BLEPP). Also, it aimed to determine the relationship between undergraduate academic performance and licensure examination performance. Hence, the hypothesis is formulated: Ho. There is no significant difference between the undergraduate academic and licensure examination performance of PRMSU BLEPP takers from 2014-2019.

Research Paradigm
From the research objectives and hypothesis formulated, the figure shows how the identified variables were gauged. It aims to identify the significant relationship between the undergraduate academic performance and licensure examination performance of PRMSU Psychometrician takers from 2014-2019.

METHODOLOGY Design
Quantitative research design was employed to determine the level of performance of PRMSU takers in the Board for Licensure Examination for Psychologists and Psychometricians (BLEPP) from 2014-2019 and its relationship with their undergraduate academic performance.

Population and Location
Population in this study is comprised of BS Psychology takers who completed the program at the President Ramon Magsaysay State University (PRMSU) from 2014-2019. Data on the licensure examination were obtained from the records provided and verified by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) which was requested by college. Furthermore, records on the General Weighted Average (GWA) of the takers were acquired from the Office of the Campus Registrar of the President Ramon Magsaysay State University in Iba, Zambales.

Statistical Treatment
Comparative analysis was used in identifying the performance of PRMSU takers in Board for Licensure Examination for Psychologists and Psychometricians (BLEPP) from 2014-2019. Moreover, central tendency and inferential statistics were used in identifying the relationship between undergraduate academic and BLEPP performances. In 2014, in which the first licensure examination was implemented, the institution obtained 0% passing rate, wherein the national passing rate was 39.31%.

Results in the Institutional Passing Percentage (IPR) against the National Passing Percentage (NPR) from 2014-2019 of the Board for Licensure Examination for Psychologists and Psychometricians (BLEPP)
In 2015, the institution garnered 16.67% against the 46.15% passing rate in the national level. It also shows an increase in IPR and NPR compared to the previous year which are 16.67% and 6.84% respectively.
During BLEPP 2016, the institution got a 31.82% in which an increase of 15.15% compared in 2015 results, while the national level got a 50.46% passing rate which also reflects an increase of 4.31% against the 2015 national results.
The institution gained 36.84% against the 56.97% national passing rate in October 2017. It also presented that an increase of 5.02% and 6.51% in IPR and NPR respectively.
The institution had passing rate of 31.25%, while the national registered a 47.43% in October 2018. Both IPR and NPR reflects a decrease in 2018 which are 5.59% and 9.54% respectively.
Lastly, in October 2019, the institutional passing rate was 47.37% which shows an increase of 16.12% compared in the 2018 results while the national passing rate is 63.73% which also shows an increase of 16.3% against the 2018 BLEP results.
The overall mean institutional passing rate from 2014 up to 2019 is 27.33% while the overall mean national passing rate is 50.68% which reflects that the institution has consistent low passing rate compared to the national.
This 6-year consecutive poor performance in the BLEPP can be attributed to the weaknesses of the program in terms of curriculum, faculty advancement and resources of the institution.
Similar predictors affecting the performance in the Licensure Examination for teacher (LET) were observed. Quiambao, D. T., et al. (2015), stated that faculty profile, library and laboratory facilities as well as intelligent quotient and academic performance could predict the performance of takers in the licensure examinations.
Results in the performance of PRMSU BLEPP takers from 2014-2019 per board subject  Similarly, in the study conducted by Banua (2017) about Philippine Nursing Licensure Examination (PNLE), academic performance of graduates could serve as a predictor of their performance in the licensure examination.

RECOMMENDATION
The study recommends revision of curriculum in consultation with prominent academicians in the field of psychology, professional practitioners in clinical, industrial and educational settings and Commission on Higher Education (CHEd).
Similar study may be conducted to determine the profile of faculty members especially those who teach licensure examination subjects. Moreover, professional advancement of the faculty is hereby suggested, such as taking masters and doctoral degrees and attending professional trainings and workshops recommended by the CHED and Professional Organization in the field.
The program head may consider inclusion of review program to be embedded as part the program curriculum to prepare prospective BLEPP examinees and to address the poor performance in other board subjects. Purchase of references, testing materials and laboratories facilities and equipment may be considered by the institution to supplement classroom instructions. Strict implementation of admission and retention policies is also suggested. It is also recommended to conduct in-depth similar study identifying other predictors of the licensure examination performance.