THE COMMISSION on Higher Education aims to ramp up its vaccination drive to allow more students to attend face-to-face classes.

CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III said on Friday that only 27 percent of college students nationwide have been vaccinated against Covid19.

“Ang target natin ay lahat ng estudyante ay mabakunahan kasi base sa data on the ground – 27% pa lang ang vaccinated. Sana 70% to 95% sa kanila ay mabakunahan,” De Vera said during the Laging Handa briefing.

The commission and the National Task Force Against Covid19 rolled out a vaccination caravan to increase the inoculation rate in the education sector.

“Ang susi ay nasa pamantasan at ang kanilang magandang koordinasyon sa local government. Ang ginagawa namin sa pag-ikot sa mga pamantasan ay kung kulang ang bakuna sa local gov’t na iyon, nire-redirect ang bakuna para specifically naka-target sa students,” De Vera explained.

“Doon sa allocation ng vaccine, mayroong vaccines allocated exclusively to students doon sa area kaya importanteng maimbentaryo natin kung ilan na ang nabakunahan, ilan pa ang kailangan mabakunahan, para mailagay yung tamang bilang ng bakuna para sila’y mabakunahan kaagad,” he added.

The CHED chief is considering implementing mandatory vaccination for students as more degree programs are allowed to conduct physical classes.