Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 1) — The Commission on Higher Education on Monday said private schools are ready for in-person classes, but its top official warned they will temporarily shut down a school if a COVID-19 case is linked to attending face-to-face sessions.
During the Laging Handa briefing, CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera said higher education institutions wanting to conduct in-person classes have already submitted their applications to the agency.
Only higher education institutions in medicine and allied health sciences under the general community quarantine and modified GCQ areas are allowed to return to face-to-face classes.
De Vera said education authorities would then visit the campus to determine if they comply with the requirements.
If there is a reported COVID-19 infection, “agad nating ipapasara ang eskwelahan (we will immediately order the school’s closure),” he added.
He said school administrators must conduct disinfection and deep cleaning of their facilities before they could continue with their operations.
De Vera also stressed face-to-face classes would be limited to medical allied programs. Students have the discretion not to attend, but the school must ensure it would offer alternatives.
According to de Vera, the CHED has no data yet on how many schools would open for face-to-face classes as the application and inspection of facilities are still ongoing.
Late last month, President Rodrigo Duterte allowed the resumption of limited in-person classes for medical education, hoping to produce graduates to boost the country’s healthcare system amid the pandemic.
“Pag di natin ipagpatuloy yan, dadating ang panahon wala tayong graduates (If this does not push through, there will come a time that we won’t have graduates). And with a pandemic, we need all the doctors we can have,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said.
