Subic school resumes face-to-face classes

The Manila Times College (TMTC) in this Freeport has received the go signal from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to resume face-to-face classes here, becoming the only tertiary-level school in Central Luzon to be granted such a permit so far.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said the Subic school has complied with all the necessary requirements issued by CHED to resume in-person classes at the former George Dewey High School campus here.

Eisma, along with CHED Regional Director Dr. Maria Teresita M. Semana, first inspected the TMTC campus facilities before the school was allowed to bring students back to the classrooms.

“We want to ensure that the educational facility is safe and free from Covid-19. We all want to go back to our normal lives after this pandemic, and it is certainly difficult for students to study remotely without any hands-on learning,” Eisma said.

She said the SBMA worked hand-in-hand with the TMTC to ensure that all the requirements set by the CHED were complied with.

The SBMA official also visited the TMTC campus on Monday to witness the start of the first face-to-face classes here under the continuing Covid-19 pandemic and said the school had passed the grade.

“To start with, The Manila Times College Subic has a very good teacher-student ratio, so it’s not that difficult to adopt the health safety protocols,” Eisma pointed out.

“I’m glad that face-to-face classes are already allowed here in Subic, and this further boosts Subic’s hard-earned reputation as a safe haven for both business and leisure,” she added.

The Manila Times College Subic, which offers mostly medicine-related programs, is by far the only tertiary-level school in Central Luzon to be granted a permit by the Commission on Higher Education for limited in-person classes.

Last month, the national government allowed limited in-person classes in 118 participating schools with about 7,000 learners across the country. These included seven schools in remote communities in Zambales.

Last Monday, the Department of Education (DepEd) said an additional 174 schools started face-to-face classes as part of the second batch of the pilot program.

 CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III said that for colleges and universities to have limited face-to-face classes, they should follow guidelines on minimum health standards, have high vaccination rate among students and faculty, secure approval from local government units, and should retrofit their facilities.

The schools that were allowed limited face-to-face classes should have curriculums that offer program in medical and allied fields, engineering and technology, hospitality/hotel and restaurant management, tourism/travel management, and marine engineering and marine transportation. (MPD-SBMA)