Villanueva urges all HEIs to end semester on April 30, use ‘pass, drop’ grading system

All higher education institutions (HEIs) in the country should end their semester on April 30 and make adjustments on the grading system amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation, according to Senator Joel Villanueva.

In P.S. Resolution No. 375 filed on April 27, the lawmaker urged the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to authorize and encourage all public and private institutions to end their current academic period on April 30.

Villanueva said that based on CHED COVID Advisory No. 6, only those HEIs using the old academic calendar—June to May—have been authorized to finish their semester by the end of April.

On the other hand, those who are using the new academic calendar—August to July— were authorized to extend their semesters for a maximum of one month after the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine.

The senator further proposed an alternative grading system amid the health crisis.

"CHED must also encourage these higher education institutions to adopt a 'Pass' or 'Drop' grading system, rather than the usual numerical grade, and allow students to complete the course requirements within one year, with special provisions to allow graduating students to graduate this semester, trimester, quarter or equivalent academic period," Villanueva's resolution read.

"Students who are unable to meet the course requirements within such period must be given a 'Drop' mark, instead of a failing grade," it added.

There are more than 3.2 million students and 136,000 faculty members in over 1,900 HEIs in the Philippines as of August 2019, according to Villanueva.

Last week, the inter-agency task force handling the COVID-19 response announced that HEIs in areas that will be placed under the general community quarantine starting May 1 may continue classes to finish the academic year and issue credentials to students in accordance with guidelines as may be issued by the CHED. —LDF, GMA News