CHED awaits Duterte OK for limited in-person classes for engineering, maritime, HRM

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is waiting for President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval of its proposal to expand limited face-to-face classes to other degree programs such as engineering, maritime, and hospital and restaurant management (HRM).

CHED chairman Prospero de Vera said the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has endorsed to the President the proposal to expand the in-person classes to more courses that “need hands-on experience.”

“I hope the President will approve it,” he said in a televised public briefing.

De Vera said these courses need on-the-job training “so that the students can graduate, complete their degrees, and take the licensure test.”

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

De Vera said 118 higher education institutions have been allowed to conduct in-person classes. This number is part of over 400 public and private universities that have expressed interest to open in-person classes, he added.