Face-to-face classes for college students might be possible by January

Limited face-to-face classes may resume by January for college students, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said Wednesday.

Classes, however, will likely be limited to schools in modified general community quarantine areas classified as having low risk of COVID-19 transmission, CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera said.

The possible resumption of face-to-face classes for students in the tertiary level comes after the government’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) adopted a policy that allows in-person classes for areas under the lowest community quarantine classification.

“Even if this was approved by the IATF, realistically, the rollout would be on the second semester because of the health situation we have right now,” De Vera said during a Senate inquiry.

He added that schools should comply with the health standards—such as face masks, and physical distancing—and other protocols to be set by CHED.

At present, De Vera clarified that no university or college is holding face-to-face classes.

“Ang umaandar pa lang na mode ngayon, iyong full online at saka ‘yong flexible na online and offline,” he said.

(What we have no is full online and the “flexible” online and offline classes.)

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier approved the resumption of face-to-face classes for basic education students in areas with low risk of COVID-19 transmission starting January 2021 upon the recommendation of the Department of Education.

For the tertiary level, De Vera said the CHED would check on school facilities in the months leading to January.

READ: What are the health standards for limited face-to-face classes?