By: Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
The Commission on Higher Education said yesterday it has lifted its ban on off-campus activities that it imposed last February on public and private colleges and universities following an accident that killed 15 students in a field trip in Tanay, Rizal last February.
CHED Commissioner Prospero de Vera III said they have consulted different stakeholders to craft new guidelines that will cover not only field trips but all off-campus activities.
“We’ve expanded the coverage of the circular of the commission not only for field trips but all other activities that involve students when they leave their schools,” De Vera said.
“This includes not just field trips but students who go on competitions outside their school, when they attend conferences and symposia, when they do immersion programs, when they go on sports activities,” he added.
According to De Vera, they have also tightened regulations on all off-campus activities in the new CHED Memorandum Order No. 63 which covers all public and private higher education institutions.
“By this, we want to make sure that the student’s safety is protected. So now we’re requiring higher education institutions to make sure and be accountable that when they send their students outside the university, there are faculty or persons in charge that will monitor what the students are doing,” De Vera said.
The CHED commissioner said the agency will now require universities to have insurance for students; check the registration, insurance, franchise, and road-worthiness of vehicles used in the transportation of students; and coordinate with local government units.