CHED refutes reports that limited face-to-face classes will be conducted in July

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Wednesday refuted reports that it will be pilot testing face-to-face classes starting July amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“This is not true and the said reporters may have misunderstood my television interview yesterday,” CHED chairman Prospero De Vera III said in a statement.

“The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) last May 13, 2020 has approved the opening of classes for higher education institutions (HEIs) that will use flexible learning in August. So there will be no face-to-face classes in July 2020,” he said.

De Vera explained that during the last IATF meeting, they have created a new category called “low risk modified general community quarantine geographic areas or local governments” or areas which have no new cases in the last 28 days and where health facilities are able to handle COVID-19 cases.

During the meeting, he said the IATF has allowed the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to conduct limited face-to-face Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs starting July.

“This is the reason why CHED, in consultation with the Department of Health (DOH), is now crafting guidelines for possible limited face-to-face classes in low risk MGCQ areas as part of the flexible learning system,” De Vera explained.

De Vera said CHED plans to submit the guidelines for the consideration of the IATF in late June or early July.

“If approved, I will personally visit the HEIs who will redesign their classrooms, libraries, auditoriums, cafeterias and other facilities based on health protocols and guidelines and see if limited face-to-face is possible in low risk MGCQ areas,” he said.

“I will do this in July and recommend to the IATF the applicable policies for the opening of classes in August,” De Vera added.

Earlier, the Department of Education remained firm that there will be no face-to-face classes — even in areas with no recorded COVID-19 case — until a vaccine is found and made accessible.—AOL, GMA News