MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education on Tuesday asked universities and colleges to be more lenient as classes shift online as a precautionary measure against the spread of the new coronavirus (COVID-19).
Prospero De Vera III, CHED chairperson, said he has received complaints from students unable to comply with requirements using online or distant learning mode.
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Among the common concerns are unstable internet connection and the policy of strict home quarantine.
“HEIs must exercise leniency and help the students during these difficult time,” De Vera said in a statement, adding the commission will take corrective actions if colleges and universities do not act accordingly.
To keep classes going, educational institutions earlier suspended face-to-face classes and shifted online as COVID-19 infections in the Philippines soared after a month-long lull in the detection of cases.
The University of Santo Tomas suspended on Tuesday suspended online classes from March 17 to 21 following the move to place the main island of Luzon under enhanced community quarantine.
Meanwhile, the University of the Philippines Diliman will suspend all classes, including alternative modes of learning, until April 14.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered residents of Luzon to stay home for a month as the government scrambles to curb the risks of the new coronavirus.
The Philippines has so far reported 187 COVID-19 cases, including 12 deaths. — Gaea Katreena Cabico