UNLIKE PREVIOUS guidelines that left class suspensions for college at the discretion of schools during bad weather, tertiary and senior high school levels at flood-prone UST will now shift to online classes once Manila is placed under Signal No. 2.
According to a circular issued by the Office of the Secretary General last Jan. 27, scheduled onsite sessions in college and senior high school levels under Signal No. 2 would instead be administered online synchronously or asynchronously “as appropriate to outcomes.”
“In the absence of any announcement on class suspension, classes shall proceed as scheduled, guided by the principles of dialogue, flexibility, and accessibility,” it added.
The revised guidelines are in line with the Department of Education (DepEd) Order 22 series of 2024, which states that Kindergarten classes will be suspended under Signal No. 1, while junior and senior high school classes will proceed as scheduled.
Meanwhile, junior high school classes at UST will only be suspended when Signal No. 2 or above is declared, which differs from the University’s July 2024 guidelines, where classes in the junior and senior high school levels were previously suspended under Signal No. 1 and above.
All levels in the University will only be suspended under Signal No. 3.
“As a general rule, if classes and office work are suspended after they have started, Thomasians are allowed in the campus for a maximum of three (3) hours in anticipation of heavy vehicular and foot traffic,” the circular read.
Only public schools and DepEd-operated Community Learning Centers under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) are required to comply with the order. The implementation of the order is optional for private schools, including private ALS providers, and basic education units of local universities and colleges.
Flexible courses
Asked to comment on the new protocol, Artlets faculty secretary Asst. Prof. Louie Benedict Ignacio said the University is “more than ready” to adapt to such changes, adding that teachers have already been instructed to deliver courses that are attuned to both onsite and online learning.
“So that in instances if there’s a sudden suspension of classes or declaration of conversion to [enriched virtual mode] EVM, they will continue as scheduled,” Ignacio told The Flame.
“Of course, with the principles of dialogue and flexibility, it’s possible that the situation is not true [for] all students and stakeholders. Yes, you can convert to EVM, but there are areas that are really affected by extreme weather, so flexibility will always play a role in decision-making,” he added.
In the circular, UST encouraged students and teaching staff to communicate their situation during weather disruptions to academic officials, who may grant them consideration depending on individual concerns. Online synchronous sessions must be uploaded to the UST Cloud Campus, the University’s official online education, to provide students with supplemental study materials.
Although the Artlets dean’s office has not yet received student concerns about the revised guidelines, Ignacio said they would operate on a case-to-case basis in the event that such feedbacks arise.
“We have to look into the context and the situation of the student and see what kind of accommodation can be given.”
While Political Science instructor Marlon Villarin praised the University’s efforts in pushing for flexible class modality, he noted that continuing classes in less severe weather conditions could “inadvertently overlook the technological and economic gaps.”
“Faculty might face increased pressure to prepare for in-person and online classes, especially on short notice, especially during late notification of modality shift. I think the [U]niversity needs to provide retooling training for remote teaching to ease this transition,” Villarin said.
“The University must be sensitive in recognizing and addressing these gaps, which will be critical in ensuring no student is left behind when classes move online.”
Villarin also believes that having a developed continuity plan and a centralized online platform for students and teachers will help the Thomasian community “foster a culture of preparedness on campus.”
For UST Commerce and Business Administration Student Council president Mark Alfred Alpas, the University should still consider class suspensions on a case-to-case basis since the campus is prone to flooding.
“As long as the students are well-prioritized during inclement weather by canceling or shifting to the appropriate mode of classes timely and reasonable, I believe this won’t have any negative impressions,” Alpas said.
UST is situated in one of the most flood-prone areas in Manila. In an interview with The Flame, Facilities Management Office Assistant Director Albert Surla said the University’s stormwater drainage project, which began in 2018, is not enough to prevent flooding in the campus when surrounding areas are also inundated. F — A.V. Asuncion and C. Querol with reports from Ma. Alyanna Selda
