The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) encouraged universities and colleges to hold their graduation rites online amid the restriction on mass gathering during the implementation of enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.
“We encourage higher education institutions (HEIs) to use alternative graduation ceremonies such as doing it online or moving it to an alternative date in the future when the threat of COVID-19 (will have) been addressed,” Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman J. Prospero de Vera III said yesterday.
De Vera announced Monday CHED is allowing tertiary institutions to use their old academic calendar to finish their current semester by April 30. These higher education institutions (HEIs) may resort to a combination of flexible learning platforms to assess their students.
CHED reminded that while the semester might end at these HEIs, it still discouraged the conduct of in-person graduation as there is a continuous need for social distancing even if the lockdown ends.
Meanwhile, HEIs using which started their classes in August were authorized to extend their second semester to a maximum of one month after the lifting of the Luzon-wide lockdown.
CHED urges online graduation rites
Only graduating students, graduate studies students, and those whose subjects are scheduled in the summer would be allowed to take midterm or summer classes.
De Vera also said universities could decide on the issue of giving all students passing marks or mass promotions.
For instance, the Ateneo de Manila University had earlier announced an early end to its current semester, with all of its enrolled college students getting passing marks on all subjects.
University of the Philippines students also push for the same policy implementation.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education also announced it is postponing all graduation ceremonies in the elementary and secondary levels nationwide.
DepEd is also consulting with different stakeholders on the possible changes in the opening of classes, said Education Secretary Leonor Briones.
“We are studying very carefully… because it will have implications,” Briones said.
“If we move the calendar year to July or August, they will be extending all the way to summer next year. Our schools are not really built for summer classes,” she added.