THE COMMISSION on Higher Education on Wednesday said that it will not require all colleges and universities to shift to full face-to-face classes in the upcoming academic year.

“We cannot require all schools to do face-to-face because there are schools that have been doing distance learning and flexible learning even before the pandemic,” CHED Chairman Prospero De Vera III said in a press briefing.

On Tuesday, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio said that all public and private schools must hold five days of face-to-face classes beginning November 2.

De Vera, however, said that higher educational institutions are different.

“Some degree programs really need a lot of face-to-face, especially skills-based programs, while other programs can be delivered via flexible learning. So, we are leaving it to the universities to decide what is the appropriate mix,” he said.

The Commission earlier said that a flexible learning setup will be retained for tertiary education.

However, CHED expects an increase in the number of universities conducting in-person learning beginning August.