MANILA, Philippines — Students in more higher education programs may soon be joining limited face-to-face classes after President Rodrigo Duterte authorized
these for some degree programs that require hands-on experience, the Commission on Higher Education said Tuesday.
The government had previously allowed some medical and health-related programs to hold classroom sessions, subject to pandemic precautions.
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CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III said the Palace has allowed face-to-face classes in the following programs as well:
- Engineering and Technology programs
- Hospitality/ Hotel and Restaurant Management
- Tourism/ Travel Management
- Marine Engineering
- Marine Transportation
Schools that want to hold face-to-face classes, which will only be allowed in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine, will need to apply for authority from CHED Regional Offices.
De Vera said CHED presented data to the pandemic task force to show that measures like retrofitting campuses, putting up Crisis Management Committees and coordinating with local government units "were effective in ensuring the achievement of the competencies of students/graduates without compromising their safety."
He said that, based on CHED monitoring, "there is a small percentage of students and faculty members who were affected by COVID-19" but that he is "convinced that it is safe to hold face-to-face classes and it can be expanded to cover other degree programs."
The Department of Education is planning a pilot test of a limited return to classroom learning in 100 schools in "low-risk" areas.
No date has been set for the start of the pilot run but the department has already issued guidelines for it.