HIGHER education institutions are ready to implement full face-to-face classes this year, the Commission on Higher Education said on Monday.

CHED Chairperson Prospero de Vera III said only schools that offered distance learning before the pandemic hit the country will use this mode.

“Halos lahat (ay mag-face-to-face classes na), kasi ang definition namin sa CHED ng residential (course) ay puwede kang magdagdag ng components na gagawin ng mga estudyante outside the classroom up to 25% noong laman ng syllabus,” De Vera said in a public briefing.

“May mga schools na meron silang component ng kanilang syllabus na ibibigay pa rin online but basically face-to-face ang mode of instruction,” he added.

The CHED chief earlier said that they will not require all schools to shift to in-person classes and will allow HEIs to decide on the appropriate mode of learning applicable to them.

While it did not order the return to face-to-face classes, CHED expects a “significant” number of schools to shift to the traditional mode of learning.

“We cannot have face-to-face for all degree programs because the degree programs are constructed differently, and also because many schools have gone ahead with online learning even before the pandemic. We should allow them to do that,” he said.