CHED eyes limited face-to-face classes in all degree programs in low-risk areas

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is now studying the possibility of allowing limited face-to-face classes in areas that have low cases of COVID-19 and high vaccination rates.

"In addition to limited face-to-face by degree program, pinag-aaralan na namin kung puwedeng payagan ang mga eskuwelahan na [we're studying if we could allow] mag-limited face to face classes in all degree programs in areas that have very low COVID prevalence and very high vaccination rate," said CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III during Monday's Palace briefing.

At present, face-to-face classes in the tertiary level are only limited to medicine and allied health sciences.

Recently, five other degree programs — Engineering and Technology programs, Hospitality/Hotel and Restaurant Management, Tourism/Travel Management, Marine Engineering, and Marine — have been added to the list.

De Vera also said CHED is already checking if schools in areas with low COVID-19 cases and high vaccination rates will be allowed to have face-to-face classes in all degree programs.

"Kung papayag ang local government, kung mataas na vaccination rate sa area at mababa ang classification nila as far as COVID is concerned, baka papayagan na natin pagdating sa mga susunod na buwan ang mga eskwelahan na maglilimited face-to-face classes in all their degree programs as long as they abide by the guidelines and they are inspected," De Vera said.

(If they local government will allow it, if the vaccination rate in the area is high and its COVID classification is low, we could allow in the next couple of months the conduct of limited face-to-face classes in all degree programs as long as they abide by the guidelines and they are inspected.)

De Vera said based on CHED data, 73% of personnel in 1,488 colleges and universities nationwide have already been vaccinated against COVID-19. 

"As far as higher education personnel is concerned, 73% of higher education personnel are vaccinated na. Malapit na tayo sa percentage na kailangan para maging ligtas talaga sila," he said.

UNICEF earlier called for the resumption of face-to-face classes even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that lost learning may not be recovered if the resumption does not happen soon.  —with Ma. Angelica Garcia/KBK, GMA News