CHED proposes more programs with onsite classes

By CNN Philippines Staff

Published Aug 31, 2021 5:34:38 PM

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 31) — The COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force has already endorsed to President Rodrigo Duterte a proposal to expand limited face-to-face classes to engineering, hotel and restaurant management, and maritime studies, the Commission on Higher Education said.

“The IATF has endorsed the proposal to the President already. I hope the President will approve it, so we can expand the limited face-to-face classes to more courses that need hands-on experience,” said CHED chairperson Prospero De Vera in the Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday.

In a text message to CNN Philippines, De Vera said that only 41 students and 51 faculty members have tested positive for COVID-19 since the limited in-person classes for medical and health allied programs started early this year.

“The good news is out of all the students that are part of the limited face-to-face classes, the infection rate was very, very low. It is less than 1%, it is 0.3%,” he said during the briefing.

De Vera noted that the positive cases among students were asymptomatic and have now recovered.

The CHED said that it is important to allow more programs to hold limited in-person classes especially those which require hands-on skill and board examination.

“Kapag hindi natin ipinabalik ang mga bata, baka hindi nila makuha yung skills na kailangan,” said De Vera. “Halimbawa, sa maritime, kailangan talaga diyan na gumagamit ka ng mga makina kung paano paandarin ang isang barko, paano aayusin.”

[Translation: If we don’t bring back the students to their classrooms, they might not learn the skills they need…For example, in maritime studies, it is very important to use machines on how to maneuver a boat or how to fix it.]

“Kung hindi natin papayagan ang mga estudyante na gawin ‘yan, hindi sila makakapagtapos ng kurso nila. Hindi sila makakakuha ng licensure test,” he added.

[Translation: If we will not allow the students to do those things, they might not finish their program. They might not also take their licensure exam.]

The CHED has so far allowed 118 private and public higher education institutions, particularly in areas under general community quarantine and modified GCQ, to hold limited face-to-face classes for their medical and other health programs.

SOURCE: https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/8/31/CHED-proposes-more-programs-with-onsite-classes-.html