The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said schools and universities may implement “flexible learning” as an alternative learning method in the next academic year amid the threat of COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
CHED said universities and colleges implementing flexible learning mode may start the next academic year in August. But those who won’t use the learning method may start their classes at a later date.
Flexible learning for next academic year
Flexible learning is not equivalent to online classes, but also employs other methods to deliver lessons to students without the need for internet connection, clarified CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera De Vera.
“Hindi namin ginagamit ang online learning,” said De Vera.
Online classes being forced through as the COVID-19 outbreak in the country worsens and people’s economic hardships mount have earned the ire of students who have called for the end of the semester for immediate and practical reasons such as lack of internet connection, and personal gadgets to continue learning via the online mode.
“Yung ibang pamantasan ang ginawa nila ay nagbigay sila ng learning packets na binigay sa mga estudyante bago maglockdown.” De Vera said.
[Some schools, what they do is they give learning packets, that they gave to the students before the lockdown.]
Flexible learning will use both online and offline options for the students.
“Isusumite nila sa mga propesor nila, either electronically tulad ng email o isusumite nila pag nalift na yung lockdown” he added.
[They will submit it to their professors, either electronically like email or they will submit it once the lockdown is lifted.]
With flexible learning, the submission of requirements can also be customized.
The students have also been calling for mass promotion for humanitarian reasons as many said they find it difficult if not infeasible due to the state the student and their families are in, especially those under the total lockdown areas, to continue this semester or do it over in the coming months when the lockdown is lifted.
Ateneo de Manila University was lauded by students all over the country for choosing to end its semester, implementing mass promotion for its students and issuing refunds. Most other schools have not accorded the same considerations to their students.
End semester now, mass promotion, waiver of fees, refund tuition
National Union of Student of the Philippines (NUSP) Metro Manila asked CHED to issue clear directives to Higher Education Institutions to end the semester now, implement mass promotion, waiver of balances and refund of fees, instead of jumping to “flexible learning” for the next academic year.
“CHED’s flexible learning…only exposes the long-suffered inequality in opportunities among the students. Contrary to the idea of the CHED that it provides an alternative for students who do not have adequate resources to comply with online learning, flexible learning utilizes online platforms as well.” NUSP said.
The group also opposed the extension of the academic calendar where classes would be facilitated through “flexible learning.”
“Similar to online classes, the extension of the academic calendar would not be inclusive as well especially that we are expecting a major economic recession as an aftermath of this crisis. Not even a single-family from a socio-economic poor bracket would be able to finance the expenses of their children to sustain schooling.” NUSP added.
The group said in an interview that millions of students are still hung and tied up with this semester and the uncertainty of the COVID-19 being controlled and eradicated and the lockdown and post-lockdown situations.
The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or total lockdown in the National Capital Region, CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Pangasinan, Baguio and Benguet, is extended for the second time, this time until May 15. Cebu province, Cebu City, Iloilo and Davao City are also placed under ECQ until May 15. The rest of the country will be under general community quarantine, or the “new normal” starting on May 1.
The group said, “Just like the “flexible learning” option for schools, the urgent student demands are either ignored or deemed “flexible” by CHED–but these demands are more pressing by the day and the longer the people are suffering from government solutions that only exacerbate the COVID-19 outbreak.”
