‘All systems go’: CHED ramps up efforts for expanded limited face-to-face classes


After getting the approval of President Duterte, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said that it is “all systems go” for the expansion of limited face-to-face classes in other degree programs.

CHED Chairman Popoy De Vera

“CHED is thankful to the President for allowing us to expand the conduct of limited face-to-face classes,” CHED Chairman Popoy De Vera said during the press briefing of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday, Oct. 11.

Last January, De Vera said that higher education institutions (HEIs) offering Medicine and Allied Health Sciences programs have been allowed to hold limited face-to-face classes.

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https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/11/21000-students-in-181-universities-colleges-attend-limited-face-to-face-classes-ched/

In September, CHED announced that limited face-to-face classes have been expanded to other degree programs that require hands-on experience in higher education institutions (HEIs) under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

In particular, De Vera said face-to-face activities are now allowed in Engineering and Technology programs, Hospitality/ Hotel and Restaurant Management, Tourism/ Travel Management, Marine Engineering, and Marine Transportation.

“This next batch is the biggest to date because there are so many engineering and technology courses,” De Vera said in a mix of English and Filipino.

De Vera said that more than 20 degree programs will be allowed to hold limited face-to-face classes for the expansion. “I already issued the guidelines and the HEIs are now applying so they can be inspected,” he explained.

Just like in the first batch, De Vera said that CHED, the Department of Health (DOH) and the local government units (LGUs) need to inspect the schools to make sure that they have retrofitted their facilities to ensure the safety of both students and faculty members who will attend the limited face-to-face classes.

“As far as higher education is concerned, we’re all systems go for limited face-to-face classes,” De Vera said. “All in all, more than 30 degree programs are now allowed to do limited face-to-face classes all over the country,” he added.