CHED tells universities, colleges: Widen benchmark on student admission

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Commission on Higher Education on Tuesday urged colleges and universities to have a wider benchmark on student admission as higher education institutions refrain from conducting in-person entrance exams due to the threat of COVID-19.Several colleges and universities have decided to waive entrance examinations and instead assess students&#x27; admission based on their high school grades.Because of this, CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera suggested that HEIs look at an applicant&#x27;s entire academic performance during high school instead of just grades from their senior year.&quot;You can require cumulative grades, not just in your senior year. You can require them to submit 3 to 4 years in high school to get a better basis, to see their performance,&quot; he said.De Vera also said colleges and universities may hold both online entrance exams and interviews for applicants.&quot;The universities just have to make sure there is enough data for them to determine who to choose among the applicants to enroll in the university. The combination of the data is crucial,&quot; he said.The CHED chief earlier said online entrance examinations were a bit &quot;problematic&quot; as the integrity of the tests may be questionable.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/17/20/problematic-says-ched-of-online-college-university-entrance-exams-during-pandemic">&#x27;Problematic,&#x27; says CHED of online college, university entrance exams during pandemic</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/21/20/several-colleges-universities-waive-entrance-exams-due-to-covid-19-crisis-ched">Several colleges, universities waive entrance exams due to COVID-19 crisis: CHED</a></li></ul><div>Enrollment in state universities, colleges</div>De Vera also said enrollment in some state universities and colleges (SUCs) dropped by up to 15 percent, which surprised him considering that tuition was free in such institutions.&quot;I would have imagined that in state universities, the enrollment would go up kasi ang financial situation ng mga bata ay hindi masyadong pino-problema,&quot; he said.Enrollment in some SUCs, meanwhile, went up by as much as 25 percent, which was troubling, said De Vera.&quot;&#x27;Yong load sa trabaho ng faculty, maaapektuhan &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.HEIs are starting their academic year based on their readiness to implement alternatives to in-person classes, which have been prohibited by government as a measure against COVID-19.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/17/20/ched-to-colleges-kung-di-handa-wag-magbukas">CHED to colleges: &#x27;Kung di handa, wag magbukas&#x27;</a></li></ul>The CHED is urging colleges and universities to implement flexible learning, which is a combination of online and offline methods in delivering lessons. This includes the use of online platforms and take-home exercises, among others.<div>-- Report from Jasmin Romero, ABS-CBN News</div>

Several colleges and universities have decided to waive entrance examinations and instead assess students' admission based on their high school grades.

Several colleges and universities have decided to waive entrance examinations and instead assess students' admission based on their high school grades.