The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) has ordered higher education institutions (HEIs) to do away with full online learning and conduct at least 50 percent of their classes on-site starting the second term of Academic Year 2022 to 2023.
In Memorandum Order No. 16, the CHEd enjoined HEIs that will opt to use hybrid learning to use at least 50 percent of total learning hours for “on-site learning experiences.”
“For example, for a three-unit course which requires at least 54 contact hours, 27 hours should be spent on a physical learning facility such as a classroom, laboratory, and other related learning spaces,” the memorandum read.
The rest of the contact hours may be delivered through other flexible learning strategies such as modules and synchronous and asynchronous sessions, the CHEd said.
According to the memorandum, HEIs will only be allowed to deliver their degree programs fully online if approved by the CHEd.
The CHEd also required on-site classes for laboratory courses, on-the-job training, and apprenticeship programs .
It ordered the resumption of the National Service Training Program’s community-based implementation, supplemented by flexible learning strategies.
The CHEd memorandum took effect on Nov. 11, the same day it was issued.
The Varsitarian has written the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs (OVRAA) asking about the University’s plans for the second term but has yet to receive a response as of this story’s posting.
UST retained the enriched virtual mode as the default mode of instructional delivery for all programs in the first term.
The OVRAA had allowed academic units to opt for two EVM variants in the first half of the academic year: the EVM hybrid mode or EVM hyflex mode.
The EVM hybrid mode required students to complete the necessary number of F2F sessions or hours to accomplish the intended learning outcomes and competencies of a specific course or subject. This was implemented for courses or subjects whose outcomes and competencies could not be fully achieved with online learning.
Meanwhile, the EVM hyflex mode gave students an option to participate in either F2F or online classes. This mode was for courses or subjects whose outcomes and competencies may be achieved with online learning, and in which F2F classes are only necessary to “enrich the learning experience,” according to the OVRAA.
UST will start the second term on Jan. 16, 2023.
