By AC Masongsong
May 22, 2021— The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) announced that they have already adopted a policy that flexible learning will continue in the years to come.
Students are seen in this January 2020 photo wearing safety surgical masks while getting their temperatures taken upon entering their university campus in Manila. Photo Source: Philstar
CHED chair Prospero de Vera III said that bringing back face-to-face classes would waste all the investments in technology, teachers’ training, and retrofitting of facilities.
"From now on, flexible learning will be the norm. There's no going back to the traditional full-packed face-to-face classrooms. The commission has adopted the policy that flexible learning will continue in school year 2021 and thereafter," he said.
De Vera explained that continuing flexible learning will not expose the educational stakeholders to the same risks if another pandemic occurs.
Aside from this, De Vera also added that universities are free to choose their desired mode of learning that would be effective for them— since some have been using pure online mode, pure modular, and there are also some who use a combination of the two.
"What will happen is a flexible system where universities will mix and match flexible learning methods appropriate to their situation," De Vera added.
He also mentioned that teachers must now realize that they must adjust to new standards since the old norms are gone.
However, ever since schools have shifted to remote learning, students have been struggling to meet the demands of online learning.
Numerous groups and students have also trended and called for an “academic freeze” pointing out that the pandemic has affected households financially and not everyone has the access to Internet and devices needed for online learning.
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