FLEXIBLE LEARNING. The Commission on Higher Education regional office in Tacloban City. The field office here sought the endorsement of the Regional Development Council to establish a consortium that will manage the region’s flexible learning system in higher education during the coronavirus disease pandemic. (PNA file photo)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC) has backed the proposal to establish a consortium that will manage the region’s flexible learning system in higher education during the health crisis.
The consortium, composed of 10 state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Leyte and Samar provinces, intends to help enhance and ensure uninterrupted learning during the pandemic, according to a document obtained by the Philippine News Agency from the RDC on Thursday.
The RDC has endorsed during its third-quarter meeting the proposal to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) en banc for funding, with Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) as the lead proponent of the program.
“Based on the assessment of the RDC, the proposed consortium is deemed necessary and supportive of the Eastern Visayas Regional Recovery Program for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in which blended learning are among the strategies for the education sector,” the resolution read.
The program does not only address education needs during times of crisis but also seeks to develop curricula meant for alternative learning delivery.
The consortium primarily aims to establish a quality learning management system (LMS) that will be shared and used among public and private higher education institutions in Eastern Visayas.
Key school officials are expected to develop online and offline infrastructure, and resources needed for the implementation of online-mediated and flexible learning modalities; create the content and course modules for the new modalities, train faculty members; consolidate policies and guidelines, and monitor and assess the implementation of the said LMS.
Proposed member SUCs of the consortium are BiPSU, Eastern Samar State University, Eastern Visayas State University, Leyte Normal University, Northwest Samar State University, Palompon Institute of Technology, Samar State University, Southern Leyte State University, University of Eastern Philippines, and Visayas State University. (PNA)
