SIQUIJOR, Siquijor, Nov. 26 (PIA) -- Amid moves for in-person classes for all degree programs, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) called on the four Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the province to get all their students, faculty members, and non-teaching staff vaccinated as one of the conditions to qualify for the program.

“The desire of our FIlipino students is to return to face-to-face classes and it can only be done with certain conditions,” said CHED-7 Regional Director and OIC-President of the Siquijor State College (SSC) Dir. Maximo Aljibe in his live/virtual message during the Ceremonial Vaccination of college students, faculty and non-teaching staff under the new additional program (non-health) allowed for the face-to-face classes on Nov. 25 at the Siquijor State College in Larena, Siquijor.

He echoed Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s recent approval of the CHED’s request for the expansion of limited face-to-face classes for other degree programs that require hands-on experience such as Hospitality/Hotel and Restaurant Management and Marine Engineering/Transportation, among others.

Aside from fully vaccinated students, teaching and non-teaching personnel, other conditions that Aljibe said are: compliance to a limited indoor venue capacity, approval and support from the local government units (LGUs), and retrofitting of facilities in addition to the observance of other health protocols which will be evaluated by CHED and its composite team, provincial health office, engineering department of the provincial LGU, and the health and crisis committee of each HEI.

This is to determine the schools’ readiness to return to the face-to-face classes and ensure compliance to the health and safety protocols. 

Aljibe said the plan was that by Dec. 1, all programs in schools under Alert Levels 1 and 2, and up to Alert Level 3 by January will be allowed limited face-to-face classes provided they comply with the set conditions.

“Ako poy nakikiusap sa pamamagitan ng suporta ng ating LGU, mahikayat ang lahat na mga estudyante para na magpabakuna, para makabalik na tayo sa limited face-to-face by December,” Aljibe said, citing the 2,307 students that remain unvaccinated as of Nov. 25.

Aljibe said Siquijor has 4,056 college students from its four HEIs, namely, Siquijor State College, BIT International College-Siquijor, Carmelite College of Siquijor, Inc., and Quezon Memorial Institute of Siquijor, Inc.

“Ang nabakunahan as of today (Nov. 25)  are 1,749, mangyari po ang ating percentage ay 43.12%,” he said.

Aljibe encouraged all schools to have 100% of their students vaccinated, citing SSC to be the model for other HEIs.

Siquijor State College has 3,554 students, of which, 1,488 or 42% were vaccinated.

Of the four HEIs, Carmelite College of Siquijor, Inc. topped the number of vaccinated population with 100% in both teaching and non-teaching personnel and 93% or 106 out of 114 of its college students.

SSC followed with 88% of its teaching personnel, 96% of non-teaching personnel, and 42% of students vaccinated.

Quezon Memorial Institute of Siquijor, Inc. has 74% vaccination rate in teaching personnel, 67% in non-teaching personnel, and 40% in students.

BIT International College-Siquijor has 62% for its teaching personnel, 25% for non-teaching, and no record for the students.

“Sa pamagitan ng pagtatutulungan (by working together), no doubt that with our desires for fully vaccinated students, we will be able to return formally and officialy to the face-to-face classes. Lalabanan natin ‘to, lulupigin natin si COVID-19,” (RAC/PIA7 Siquijor)