College students in Ilocos Norte receive COVID-19 vaccines on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. About 91 percent OF teaching and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd) in the province had also been vaccinated against the viral disease in preparation for the in-person classes . (Photo courtesy of Philippine Information Agency – Ilocos Norte)
MANILA, Philippines — The second phase of the limited in-person classes in higher education institutions (HEIs) in areas under Alert Level 3 will start on Jan. 31, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) announced in a Facebook advisory on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the HEIs in areas under Alert Level 2 may begin limited in-person classes anytime.
“Application to CHEd is not a requirement for the conduct of the limited face-to-face classes,” the CHEd said.
“HEIs intending to hold limited face-to-face classes during the COVID-19 pandemic must be willing to assume the responsibilities for the reopening of their campuses based on their capability to comply with the health and safety protocols, to retrofit their facilities, and to get the support of their stakeholders,” it added.
The CHEd also said that HEIs must notify their respective CHED regional office through the submission of the accomplished self-assessment checklist and notarized affidavit of undertaking prior to the start date of the limited face-to-face classes.
In cases of clustering of COVID-19 infections, meanwhile, CHEd said that the preventive suspension of limited face-to-face classes would have to be “based on the assessment and decision of the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) of the HEI in consultation with the Local Task Force against COVID-19.”
Under CHED’s guidelines, only fully-vaccinated students, teaching and non-teaching personnel were allowed to participate in limited face-to-face classes that started in December.
READ: CHED allows limited face-to-face classes in areas under Alert Level 2