F2F classes allowed for 5 more college programs

LIMITED face-to-face classes have been allowed for five more college degree programs that require hands-on experience, but only in areas under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) announced Tuesday, September 28, 2021.

In a statement, Ched Chairman Prospero de Vera III said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea issued on September 21, 2021 the authority for face-to-face activities in the following areas:

• Engineering and Technology programs
• Hospitality/ Hotel and Restaurant Management
• Tourism/ Travel Management
• Marine Engineering
• Marine Transportation

De Vera said they are now pushing for the vaccination of all faculty, staff and students in higher education institutions (HEIs) to ensure their safety and minimize transmission of the highly infectious coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

He did not specify a target date for the in-person classes in these additional college programs.

"I have been in constant discussion with NTF chief implementer Carlito Galvez (Jr.) and we are now aggressively pushing for the vaccination of all faculty, staff and students in HEIs to add another layer of protection to our face-to-face classes,.

"Some of our HEIs have completed the vaccination of their employees and students. We aim to do it for other HEIs as more vaccines arrive," he added.

HEIs intending to have limited face-to-face classes as part of their flexible learning policy may now apply for authority with Ched regional offices.

Face-to-face classes were allowed for medicine and allied health courses in January 2021.

To support their proposal to expand the in-person classes, De Vera said the commission presented to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases the evidence on the ground showing that mechanisms that have been put in place are effective. Among these are:

• Retrofitting of facilities by HEIs;
• Observance of health protocols;
• Putting up of crisis management committees; and
• Coordination with local government units concerned.

"Based on the data we gathered on the ground, there is a small percentage of students and faculty members who were affected by Covid-19. I'm convinced that it is safe to hold face-to-face classes and it can be expanded to cover other degree programs," De Vera said.

Of the close to 2,000 universities and colleges, almost half have already opened the school year. Others are planning to start classes in October or November. (Marites Villamor-Ilano / VoxPop Philippines)