Also prioritizes degree programs related to medical, health fields
(Eagle News) – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is allowing 24 higher education institutions (HEIs) all over the country to “hold limited face-to-face classes” and also selected degree programs prioritized for limited face to face classes effective the second semester of school year 2020-2021.
CHED came out a list of the 24 schools, seven of which are located in Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) which has reported the highest rise in COVID-19 cases, as well as in other regions with reported spike in cases.
CHED chair Dr. Prospero De Vera III said that the 24 HEIs had “fully complied” with the guidelines set by CHED, the Department of Health (DOH), and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID)
The schools, he said, had also been inspected by CHED and the local government units “so they can now bring their 3rd and 4th year students for hands-on training and laboratory classes in a limited face-to-face system. “
“CHED will continue to monitor these HEIs and I am confident that they will provide safe and healthy spaces for their students in the coming months,” De Vera said in a statement.
These are the HEIs that according to CHED had passed the required stringent retrofitting and health standards:
1. Mariano Marcos State University – Batac (Region I)
2. St. Louis University (CAR)
3. Our Lady of Fatima University – City of San Fernando (Region III)
4. Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (NCR)
5. University of Santo Tomas (NCR)
6. University of East Ramon Magsaysay (NCR)
7. Our Lady of Fatima University – Quezon City (NCR)
8. Our Lady of Fatima University – Valenzuela City (NCR)
9. Manila Central University (NCR)
10. Adventist University of the Philippines (Region IV)
11. De La Salle Health and Medical Science Institute (Region IV)
12. University of Perpetual Help – Don Jose (Region IV)
13. Our Lady of Fatima University – Sta. Rosa (Region IV)
14. Naga College Foundation (Region V)
15. West Visayas State University (Region VI)
16. Central Philippine University (Region VI)
17. Cebu Institute of Medicine (Region VII)
18. University of Cebu School of Medicine (Region VII)
19. Iloilo Doctors’ College of Medicine (Region VI)
20. University of Iloilo (Region VI)
21. Blancia Foundation College, Inc. (Region IX)
22. Xavier University (Region X)
23. Liceo de Cagayan University (Region X)
24. University of the Philippines-Manila (NCR)
Aside from these schools. CHED also selected these degree programs prioritized for limited face to face classes: Medicine, Nursing, Medical Technology/Medical Laboratory Science, Physical Therapy, Midwifery, and Public Health”
CHED said these programs were chosen for these two major reasons: “to enable students to achieve key learning outcomes on specialized laboratory courses and hospital-based clinical clerkship/internship/practicum” and to “provide additional manpower to the country’s health system.”
-Encouraging HEIs to become vaccination centers-
De Vera also noted that six of the schools they have allowed to conduct limited face-to-face classes have “retrofitted facilities” that had served as vaccination centers during the first wave of vaccinations. These are the following:
1. University of Santo Tomas Hospital (NCR)
2. Manila Central University Gymnasium (NCR)
3. St. Louis University Baguio Gymasium (CAR)
4. De La Salle Medical Health Sciences Institute (Region 4)
5. Our Lady of Fatima University (NCR)
6. Central Philippine University (Region VI)
“We are encouraging the other HEIs to also offer their facilities as the country gears for expanded vaccination of senior citizens, essential workers, teachers and government personnel starting the 2nd quarter of the year,” De Vera said.
“In return, we ask the LGUs to include the HEI faculty, staff and students who are assisting in the vaccination drive in their vaccination list so they can assist their LGUs,” he said.
De Vera said that “this is also the reason why President (Rodrigo) Duterte approved limited face-to-face classes – because our HEIs can help in the government’s vaccination program.”
“As the country looks forward to receiving the next batch of millions of donated and procured vaccines in the 2nd quarter of the year, we must maximize the use of large alternative venues to be readily available so that the priority groups (essential workers, seniors, the indigents) could be inoculated without further delay,” De Vera said.
He said that CHED is currently preparing the guidelines for establishing vaccination centers in HEIs
“These guidelines will be discussed with the LGUs and IATF and can be used in ensuring more vaccination centers for the government,” a CHED statement said.
(Eagle News Service)