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Shifting start of academic year to August only a recommendation, says CHED


The Commission on Higher Education or CHED clarified that its memorandum dated April 5 which “enjoined” State Colleges and Universities (SUCs) and Local Colleges and Universities (LUCs) to shift their academic calendar to start from June to August was only a recommendation and not a requirement.

According to CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III, the commission does not have the power to compel a school to do so; only its Board of Regents could make the decision.

Nevertheless, he said, they encourage schools to shift to an August opening because of the current cash-based budgeting system—under which only projects to be implemented within a fiscal year are funded.

If the start of the second semester continues to fall on November, SUCs will not meet the December 31 deadline and will have to wait longer before receiving the reimbursement, De Vera said.

“In the 2019 GAA [General Appropriations Act], there is a provision by Congress asking CHED to facilitate the shift in academic calendar,” De Vera said. “The memo is in compliance with Congressional and Presidential directive.”

He said that another factor to consider in shifting the academic calendar is internationalization. It is reportedly “easier to develop international linkages and exchange of students” with some universities in the ASEAN region if they have the same school calendar.

De Vera also sees no problem if CHED and the Department of Education work on different calendars since college entrance exams happen even before graduation. On the contrary, he said, it would be advantageous for students since they would have more months to prepare for college.

In 2014, the University of the Philippines shifted to an August school opening. De Vera said no problem arose from this in the past years.

Like SUCs and LUCs, private Higher Education Institutions also have the discretion whether to heed the memorandum order or not. — BM, GMA News

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