CHED looks into expansion of limited in-person classes for other programs 

CHED Chair Prospero “Popoy” de Vera. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said Wednesday it is studying the expansion of limited face-to-face classes to other degree programs despite a reported COVID-19 infection in Eastern Visayas.

In a televised briefing, CHED chairperson Prospero De Vera III said he will bring this up to President Rodrigo Duterte if they see data showing there is limited COVID-19 transmission among students who already began their in-person classes.

“Tinitignan muna natin ang datos sa unang batch,” De Vera said when asked if CHED will soon allow limited in-person classes for programs like engineering, information technology and maritime.

(We will first look into the data of those in the first batch.)

“Kung makikita sa datos na talagang ligtas ang mga bata dahil sa compliance sa guidelines, ang aking gagawin ay pupunta ako kay President Duterte at hihingan ng approval i-expand ito sa ibang degree program na kailangan din ng face-to-face,” he added.

(If the data shows that the students are safe due to compliance with guidelines, I will go to President Duterte and ask for approval to expand to other degree programs that require face-to-face classes.)

The President has so far only allowed medical and allied health programs to conduct limited in-person classes.

“Ang critical dito ay kung ano yung mga subject na hindi pwedeng gawing virtual o online. Nililista nila yang mga subjects,” De Vera said.

(What’s critical here is what subjects cannot be conducted virtually or online. These subjects are being listed.)

De Vera said there are so far 73 higher education institutions that are conducting face-to-face classes for their medical programs.

A COVID-19 infection was reported in Region 8 or Eastern Visayas and authorities are already looking into the matter, De Vera said.

“Pinagaaralan ng regional office ng CHED kasama ng mga pamantasan kung ano ang dahilan bakit nagkaroon ng infection. Pero sa ibang region, at doon sa mga naunang malalaking pamantasan, ang infection ay kontrolado,” he said.

(CHED’s regional office along with the universities are studying why there was an infection. But in other regions and in bigger schools, the infection is controlled.)

Earlier, De Vera said limited in-person classes will be stopped if a student contracts COVID-19.

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JPV