(Eagle News) — The Commission on Higher Education has lifted the moratorium on off-campus activities.
In a press briefing on Thursday, CHEd Commissioner Prospero de Vera said that the moratorium–which was announced following the deaths of 15 people, mostly students from the Bestlink College, during a camping trip that was part of the National Service Training Program in February–was lifted effective Aug. 8, following the tightening of regulations to ensure the safety of students.
“For the past five months, we have worked with the Department of Tourism, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Land Transportation Office, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, and the League of Cities and Municipalities to craft guidelines that will cover all off-campus activities,” De Vera said.
He said they have expanded the coverage of the circular governing such to include “not only field trips but other acts that involve students when they leave school.”
He said these include competitions outside, conferences, symposia, sports activities, and immersion programs, among others.
“We have tightened regulations and issued Memo Order No. 63 to cover now all public and private higher education institutions,” he said.
He said HEIs were now required to assign a faculty member who will monitor what the students are doing while on the trip.
He said they were also now required to have insurance, to check the road-worthiness of the vehicles the students will be using, and to coordinate with local government units which they will be visiting.
“(HEIs) have to provide alternatives also for those who can’t go outside,” De Vera said.