House panel addresses issues with limited face-to-face classes at higher education institutions – Manila Bulletin

The House of Representatives Committee on Higher and Technical Education, chaired by Baguio City Representative Mark Go, addressed issues relating to the implementation of limited face-to-face courses in all schools. degree programs from higher education institutions (HEIs) during a briefing with the Higher Education Commission (CHED) on Monday 15 November.

The committee discussed the issues with the Higher Education Commission (CHED) during the meeting, which was also attended by representatives of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), Coordinating Council of Philippine Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), Philippine Association of Private Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAPSCU). Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU), Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU), among others.

During the briefing, CHED President Prospero “Popoy” de Vera provided an overview of the status of the implementation of limited face-to-face courses as part of the community quarantine classification for the COVID-response. 19, the immunization status of HEI staff and higher education students as well as initiatives, the proposed phased implementation of limited face-to-face classes Alert Level Systems (ALS) for response COVID-19, and the main provisions of the proposed guidelines for the implementation of limited face-to-face classes as part of the ALS for the COVID-19 response.

De Vera reported that the National Capital Region (NCR) had the highest number of students vaccinated with 46.18%, while Region 12 had the lowest with 11.28% as of November 4.

He also noted that Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has the highest number of HEI staff vaccinated at 91.22% while Region 4B has the lowest at 56.58%.

The CHED President also revealed the CHED-Department of Health (DOH) Joint Circular No. 2021-004 which provides guidelines for the implementation of limited face-to-face courses for all HEI programs in the areas under ALS for COVID-19 response.

Based on the said Joint Circular, the safe reopening of HEI campuses for limited face-to-face classes for all programs will go through a process of phased implementation and implementation.

Phase 1 will apply to all regions below Alert Level 2 from December of this year, while Phase 2 will apply to all regions below Alert Level 3 from January 2022.

Only fully immunized students from higher education institutions located in areas with ALS, as permitted by the Interagency Working Group for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), will be permitted to participate in limited face-to-face classes. face.

Limited face-to-face classes, however, will not be mandatory for higher education institutions that use flexible learning under the CHED Memorandum Order Series # 4 of 2020 and for students who prefer do not attend these classes.

The committee took note of the problems related to the reluctance to immunize among HEI students and staff, the modernization of HEI campus facilities, the creation of a crisis management committee, the implementation of a model of cyclical transfer of students and the conduct of physical education (PE) and out-of-frame courses. campus activities in HEIs. (Melvin Sarangay)