FULL face-to-face classes or hybrid learning will be implemented in higher education institutions beginning the second semester of Academic Year 2022-2023, the Commission on Higher Education said.

In Memorandum Order No. 16 dated November 11, CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III allowed “the transitioning to the safe return to physical campuses and bringing back learners to school.”

“Unless there is an approval from the Commission on Higher Education, an HEI cannot offer its recognized degree programs in full distance learning delivery including online modality,” the commission said.

“For HEI’s that will opt to deliver their degree programs in hybrid learning modality, at least 50% of the total contact time should be spent on onsite learning experiences,” it added.

Contact time refers to the “total number of learning hours critical to achieving the intended learning outcomes of a course or subject.”

Laboratory courses, on-the-job training, and National Service Training Program activities should also be held primarily onsite.

For a three-unit course that requires at least 54 contact hours, 27 hours should be spent at a physical learning facility.

“The rest of the contact hours may be delivered through other flexible learning strategies such as, but not limited to, self-paced printed or online learning modules, synchronous/asynchronous learning sessions, and remote guided peer learning approaches,” CHED said.

Meanwhile, HEIs intending to run graduate and undergraduate programs through distance learning must first get CHED’s approval in accordance with the Open Distance Learning Act.

Those intending to operate via Transnational Education must likewise secure CHED’s nod.

“Unless there is an approval from the Commission on Higher Education, an HEI cannot offer its recognized degree programs in full distance learning delivery including fully online modality,” it said.