STUDENTS of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños urged school officials to reopen the campus and allow the use of its key facilities such as the laboratories.

In a letter addressed to UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho, the University Student Council said that the current educational situation “calls for a great need to open the university” to utilize its facilities.

“The use of these facilities will be of great help for the students in effectively accomplishing requirements which cannot be fully done through remote learning setup, as well as to provide an environment more conducive for learning,” the group said.

It urged university administrators to assess the sufficiency of learning given through online classes in the first semester of Academic Year 2020-2021.

They said that students, teachers, and staff were not exempted from the “limitations and hardships” of distance learning.

“It is without a doubt that the recently concluded 1st semester of A.Y. 2020-2021 has become very challenging for all of us as we were made to adjust to a new learning mode of learning. With the resumption of classes on March 1, we hope for the support in ensuring a safe and inclusive resumption of classes,” the student body said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the holding of limited face-to-face classes for medicine and allied health sciences courses in universities and colleges in areas under modified general community quarantine.

CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III said that schools will be inspected to determine the university’s readiness for face-to-face classes.