AT LEAST 181 higher education institutions nationwide have been allowed to conduct limited face-to-face classes, the Commission on Higher Education said on Monday.

“‘Yung 181 schools na ‘yan, ang total number of degree programs na pinayagan nang mag-limited face-to-face ay 301 as of the last couple of weeks,” CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III said in a media briefing.

“Ang number of students na pinayagan nang mag-limited face-to-face ay 21,000 and more than 1,000 faculty members,” he added.

He pointed out that Covid19 infection in areas where in-person classes will be held is “very low.”

“Nitong nakaraang buwan, napakababa ng infection rate, less than 1% para sa mga estudyante, at 1.41% lamang sa mga faculty. Lahat sila ay asymptomatic, walang namatay, walang naospital sa kanila,” De Vera said.

He attributed the low infection rate in schools to the strict compliance to guidelines and health protocols.

The CHED chief expects more schools to reopen in the coming months.

“Itong next batch ang pinakamalaki kasi maraming eskwelahan ang mayroong engineering at technology courses. Ang tantya namin diyan, lagpas 20 degree programs ang papayagan mag-limited face-to-face,” he said.

“All systems go na as far as the higher education is concerned dito sa mga limited face-to-face. So, all in all, more than 30 degree programs are now allowed to do limited face-to-face all over the country,” the official added.