After a survey conducted by the College resulted in favor of the suspension, Vice Chancellor for Academics Geronio Ulayao officially suspended the Online Make-Up Classes in Benilde effective March 23. The announcement was made yesterday, March 22, via Benilde Mail.

“This is to announce the suspension of Online Make-up Classes (OMC) effective March 22, 2020 until further notice. This decision is based on findings from two institutional surveys disseminated separately to students and faculty on March 19-21, 2020, and a similar inquiry organized by the Benildean Parents in Action (Be-PIA) during the same period,” as stated in the announcement, which was noted by Chancellor Robert Tang.

The summary and main points of the announcement are as follows:

• OMCs scheduled beginning March 23, 2020 are cancelled.
• Online submissions originally due on April 5, 2020 are extended until the finalized class resumption date.
• All OMCs’ course requirements will have “parallel or equivalent tasks and assignments” for completion upon return or resume of face-to-face classes.
• Extension of academic calendar is expected and will be released upon lifting the imposition of Enhanced Community Quarantine where “students and faculty are required to attend these scheduled sessions regardless of post-March 21st online coursework.”
• BigSky will remain for faculty to provide materials yet to be covered for the remainder of the term and create activities intended for resumption of classes, and for students to access these materials for self-paced and self-directed learning when available and if desired. All will be on a purely voluntary basis until further announcements.
  

The letter of suspension can be read below:

The decision was made possible by the insights provided by the College’s 5,065 students, 476 faculty members and 103 parents who participated as respondents in the disseminated survey.

It has been emphasized that accessibility issues such as internet access, availability of equipment, and software, prevented the OMC’s effective facilitation.