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Students, faculty of big 4 PH unis call for end of semester; CHED says no

Calls have gone as far as to ask classes be suspended until the President resigns.

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As the country reels from the massive hit it took from Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco), the academe has sounded the call to end the semester anew.

Statements have been issued by students and faculty from the Big Four as a response to their student’s struggles in the last three weeks.

Students and faculty from University of Sto. Tomas (UST), Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU), and the University of the Philippines (UP) have all called for an academic break in the aftermath of both Typhoon Ulysses and Typhoon Rolly.

The Big Four along with other universities have since called off online and modular classes from at least November 16 to 21.

At least 130 members of the UP faculty have signed a petition to end the semester, asking for a pass or drop grading system instead of the usual numerical one.

https://twitter.com/phkule/status/1327985882888998914?s=21

Students from ADMU have asked for a strike, though it has been turned down by their student government, the Central Assembly.

More than 7,600 students from DLSU, on the other hand, have signed a petition calling for an academic break.

Government actions, statements on #AcademicBreakNow

All of these have resulted from this decision by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) denying petitions for a nationwide and Luzon-wide academic break.

https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/1328509669782953986?s=21

CHED chairperson Popoy De Vera has even suggested taking a break instead of suspending the semester outright.

https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/1328507594239950853?s=21

https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/1328506815731040256?s=21

CHED has since left the decision to suspend the semester to respective colleges and universities.

Malacañang, through Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, on the other hand, would devalue calls for an academic freeze.

Roque was quoted as saying Ateneo students “would fail” should they push through with a student strike.

Netizens, majority of student body not happy with CHED decision

Netizen, both students and faculty, were not happy with CHED’s statement and the government’s inaction on calls to at least end the 1st semester early.

Students on edge have gone to protesting at Katipunan Avenue to voice out their opinion on CHED’s decision.

Progressive group Anakbayan Laguna has also come out with a statement, going as far as asking that classes be suspended until President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from his post.

Students would find allies in both former and current government officials, including Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago.

Elago called for compassion as students from UST have continually asked their governing body to suspend the semester.

#academicbreaknow#academicfreezeAteneoAteneo de Manila UniversityBig FourDe La Salle UniversityLa SalleUlyssesUniversity of Sto. Tomasuniversity of the philippinesUPUST

Written by Andronico Del Rosario

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