The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is looking to launch limited face-to-face classes in all degree programs in parts of the Philippines with low Covid-19 risk.
In a Palace briefing on Monday, CHEd Chairman Prospero de Vera said areas with low Covid-19 cases and high vaccination rates could pilot the expanded face-to-face classes.
“Kung papayag ang local government, kung mataas na ang vaccination rate doon sa area, mababa naman ang classification nila as far as Covid is concerned, baka papayagan na natin pagdating sa mga susunod na buwan ang mga eskuwelahan na magli-limited face-to-face in all their degree programs as long as they abide by the guidelines and they are inspected,” De Vera said.
“So magiging dalawa ‘yung ating limited face-to-face – by degree program and possibly by geographic area. Iyon ang ating pinag-aaralan ngayon,” he added.
The Philippine government has allowed face-to-face classes in medical,health-allied, engineering and technology, hospitality and hotel and restaurant management, marine transport, and marine engineering courses.
According to De Vera, 73 percent of higher education personnel have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
The Philippines has 2,674,814 Covid-19 cases as of Oct. 11.
It aims to inoculate up to 90 percent of its population to eliminate the threat of the disease, which has killed nearly 40,000 Filipinos. John Ezekiel J. Hirro