MANILA, Philippines – An advisory council has recommended to the University of the Phillippines (UP) Board of Regents (BOR) to end on April 30 the second semester for academic year 2019-2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

In a letter to the BOR on Tuesday, April 14,  the UP President’s Advisory Council (PAC) said many students have returned to their homes in different regions and are “unable to gain full access to to the University’s Learning Management platform and other low-technology supported modes” such as emails and social media platforms. 

“The University shall end the second semester on April 30, 2020, to reduce the growing anxiety of students and faculty on one hand, and enable their COVID-related engagements,” PAC said. 

Below is a copy of the proposal submitted to the BOR as shared on the Twitter account of UP Office of the Student Regent:

Here is the full proposed policy.

The OSR will be releasing a statement soon. Continue amplifying our collective voice! pic.twitter.com/CcY2lV8Ajc

— UP Office of the Student Regent (@uposr) April 14, 2020

The guidelines on the new system for the second semester in UP will be released once the BOR decides on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Tuesday said that colleges and universities are allowed to adjust their approved academic calendars in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera said that adjustments should be “reasonable, transparent, and outcomes-based validated.”

On April 7, Ateneo de Manila University announced it would shorten the second semester for school year 2019-2020. 

As of Tuesday, the Philippines recorded 5,223 coronavirus cases, with 335 deaths and 295 recoveries.

The government extended the lockdown in Luzon until April 30, from the original April 12. – Rappler.com