MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has added in its list of priority courses natural sciences, psychology, mathematics, accountancy and social work. In a statement, CHED said the additional priority courses “seek to address the growing gap between the skills of graduates and the available jobs in the market.†Under natural sciences are biology, chemistry, marine biology, applied physics, geology, earth science; while mathematics comprises applied mathematics, statistics/applied statistics. In 2011, CHED identified priority courses specifying the clusters of agriculture/related fields, science/math, engineering, arts/humanities, atmospheric science, environmental science, information technology (IT), teacher education, and health sciences as fields of study that will contribute to national development and address certain critical manpower shortages.