THE OFFICE of the Student Regent of the University of the Philippines appealed for an academic ease to help students cope with distance learning.

A letter sent to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, which was published by the OSR on Monday, cited the negative effects of the pandemic on the students’ well-being.

“The steady surge of Covid19 cases in our country has caused the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila and the surrounding provinces of Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, and Bulacan, and it has burdened a large number of our students living in the aforementioned areas and even those outside the bubble,” the OSR said.

“The current situation has affected the financial, psychological, and physical well-being of our students. University Student Councils across the system continuously receive reports from constituents regarding their families and loved ones contracting the Covid19 virus and experiencing great difficulty in receiving adequate health assistance from healthcare facilities,” it added.

The OSR appealed for the removal of stringent deadlines. It asked for lesser academic requirements, no required attendance for synchronous classes, and the implementation of a “genuine” reading break and no-fail policy or force drop.

It added that professors and instructors should be encouraged to conduct consultations with students.

The appeal was made after the petition launched by the Rise for Education-UP Diliman, which has already garnered more than 15, 000 signatures.