Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama | CDN DIGITAL FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants to meet with the heads of the different public and private schools, as well as the university administrators, to discuss the possibility of having a uniformed schedule for the resumption of face-to-face classes in the city.
The Mayor, according to the Public Information Office (PIO), learned during an online meeting on Friday, August 5, with officials Cebu City Schools Division and Commission on Higher Education in Central Visayas (CHED-7) that schools here have set different start dates for their face-to-face classes.
DepEd Assistant Cebu City Division Superintendent Bernadette Susvilla said that public schools will have a transition period wherein limited face-to-face classes will be held from August 22 to October 31.
By November 2, she said, DepEd targets to require full face-to-face classes onsite.
Meanwhile, Jogi Rivamonte of CHED-7 reported that of the over 40 higher education institutions (HEIs) in the city, 17 of these are planning to continue with limited face-to-face classes, while only two have expressed intentions to do full face-to-face classes.
“Most of the HEIs in Cebu City plan to open for this academic year 2022-2023 by third week of August. Only a few intend to open in September,” she said.
Rivamonte said HEIs are given the academic freedom to decide when they will resume their classes.
The Mayor stated that after talking with the concerned authorities, he is considering the possibility of ordering a simultaneous schedule for the start of full face-to-face classes here.
During the meeting, Rama also presented his signed Executive Order (EO) No. 174 which allowed the full conduct of face-to-face classes in all levels.
The EO intends to protect and promote the health of students and school personnel through continuous vaccination and strengthening the economy.
The mayor stated that he was interested in learning about the school officials’ preparations for implementing the directive given that it was signed in June.
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