9 colleges, universities in Cebu City are F2F safe

Students in college fill up enrollment forms and wait for their turn to enroll in a Cebu university.
CDN FILE PHOTO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) identified nine Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that are certified safe for the return of face-to-face classes.

Councilor Joel Garganera, the deputy chief implementor of the EOC, said that they have been working with the Commission on Higher Education (HEIs) for the past months in preparing the colleges and universities with medical programs to get their campuses ready for the return of face-to-face (F2F) classes.

“So aduna nay siyam ka buok nga na approban nga eskwelahan. Kasagaran niini mga medical courses, nursing, unya ang usa kay marine. Naa tay checklist ana ni ana and gicheck na sa atong team sa CHED and sa Department of Health (DOH),” said Garganera.

The EOC has created four teams as well to handle the applications of HEIs for the return of F2F classes soon as they expect applications to pour in the coming months.

Many of the universities and colleges have just begun readjusting their facilities to accommodate the return of physical classes.

So far, the following nine universities and colleges with their corresponding programs are now safe and ready to hold F2F classes:

1. SWU-Phinma (Nursing, Medical Technology, Physical Therapy)
2. Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine (School of Medicine)
3. University of Cebu – Banilad Campus (Nursing, Medical Technology, Midwifery)
4. University of San Carlos Talamban Campus (Nursing)
5. St. Paul College (Nursing and Midwifery)
6. School of Midwifery
7. Cebu Normal University (Nursing)
8. Velez College (Physical Therapy)
9. University of Cebu – METC (Nautical and Maritime Engineering)

More schools are expected to apply soon as other non-medical programs already got approval for hybrid F2F classes, and the EOC is ready to inspect these HEIs according to the checklist of CHED and DOH.

“Naay ubang schools with medical course nga dili gyod conducive ilang facilities for face-to-face. Among gibuhat, atong giinspect ilang rotations sa mga hospitals to make sure nga dili sila assigned in COVID-19 wards, fully vaccinated sila, and safe lang ang students.”

“For lecture, ang atoa is virtual lang. Dinha na sila mag face-to-face kung laboratories na, kinahanglan na gyod kaayo,” said Garganera.

So far, the enumerated universities and colleges have successfully complied with the DOH and CHED guidelines and they have been doing hybrid F2F classes even before August 2021.

The EOC encourages other HEIs to follow suit and to apply as F2F will eventually return especially if the city remains in Alert Level 2 or especially if it is downgraded to Alert Level 1.

For now, the HEIs in Cebu City are encouraged to start modifying facilities to fit the new guidelines for F2F classes and apply ahead of time so changes can be made if necessary.     /rcg

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