CHED-7 to students from HEIs: Get vaccinated

Higher education institutions (HEIs) offering Marine Engineering and Marine Transportation courses are expected to apply for limited face-to-face classes.  | contributed photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Students from higher education institutions (HEIs) that would be approved to conduct limited face-to-face classes are encouraged to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Maximo Aljibe, director of the Commission on Higher Education in Central Visayas (CHED-7), said that while they had not come up with the decision yet whether to require the vaccination or not, they were encouraging students to do so as an added protection.

Aljibe said that by doing so, chances would be less to get hospitalized or to experience severe symptoms of COVID-19 should a student be infected.

“Hangga’t sana maaari, that’s what we encouraged, para talagang ma-assured tayo. Kung magkapositive man, at least hindi severe or yung chances ng hospitalization,” said Aljibe.

(As much as possible, that is what we encouraged so that we can really be assured. Because if one would be positive [of the virus], at least it won’t be severe or the chances of hospitalization [would be fewer].)

“Actually doon sa guidelines natin, hindi naman kasi [required]. But we are trying to arrange, no less than Secretary J. Prospero “Popoy” De Vera is making some representations na magawan ito ng paraan. He’s trying his best yung sa IATF natin,” he added.

(Actually in our guidelines, that is not there [required]. But we are trying to arrange, no less than Secretary J. Prospero “Popoy” De Vera is making some representations so that there will be a way to do it. He is trying his best at our IATF.)

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier approved the CHED’s request for the expansion of limited face-to-face classes to other degree programs that require hands-on experience, which included Engineering and Technology programs, Hospitality/Hotel and Restaurant Management, Marine Engineering, and Marine Transportation.

Medicine and allied health courses were already permitted by the national government to conduct the limited face-to-face since January this year.

The CHED-7 director said they were expecting several HEIs in the region to apply for such classes following the expansion of programs.

The regional director said that they would follow the same guidelines issued during the gradual opening of medical programs for review and approval of face-to-face.

READ: CHED-7 expects several HEIs to apply for limited face-to-face classes

He, however, clarified that only HEIs in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) would be allowed for limited face-to-face, stressing that classes would be suspended should the status be reverted to a higher classification.

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