The Commission on Higher Education Regional Office 6 found the retrofitting preparations of the Aklan State University- BS Nursing Program compliant based on the provisions set forth in the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2021-001.
In view of this, the application for the limited face-to-face classes of the BS Nursing of ASU may be approved soon, pending compliance with the few recommendations of the Task Force and other requirements.
Based on the communication from CHED Region 6, the Certificate of Authority will be issued once the evaluation result is signed by the ASU President and the representative from LGU-Banga Municipal Health Office (MHO).
Retrofitting, according to the JMC 2021-001 pertains to the changes to the facilities of a Higher Education Institution (HEI) such as ASU to ensure the health and safety of the students, faculty, and staff while inside the campuses during the pandemic.
In a letter sent October 11 to ASU, the panel rated as Complied all the areas of evaluation of the BSN program like Classrooms, Laboratories, Eating/Dining/Communal Area, and Library.
Likewise, areas such as Isolation Room for Symptomatic Individuals, Comfort Rooms, Stairways and Corridors, Entry/Exit, and Foot Traffic are all rated complied, too.
Meanwhile, the Task Force headed by Dr. Arnold Anceno of CHEDRO6, recommended adding more physical barriers in the pedestrian gates, laboratory, and dining areas, and using colored ropes as partitions in the middle of the stairs to avoid interaction.
They also recommended using ultraviolet (UV) sanitizer boxes for books and reading materials borrowed by the students.
ASU President Dr. Emily M. Arangote expressed elation at the favorable evaluation results.
“It’s really our intention for our BS Nursing program to pass the limited face-to-face classes assessment knowing that this program needs more lab practice”, Dr. Arangote said.
She also added that this positive outcome is the output of one spirit of the ASU management, the academic community, LGU, and the provincial government and stakeholders.
“This pandemic will not stop ASU from being at par with other SUCs in the country,” Dr. Arangote said further.
The School of Arts and Sciences, under which the BSN program belongs, has been in the thick of preparations for the application for limited face-to-face classes.
Dr. Donna Lariosa, Dean of SAS, said she’s happy with the evaluation result.
“We are one step closer towards offering limited face-to-face classes to our BSN students,” she said.
“We are very thankful that our application will be approved. It shows the cooperation of all our stakeholders and we can’t wait to welcome our students back to school,” Ms. Katherine Villaran, the BSN Program Dean, said.
“Sometimes, the lecture is not enough for us to understand the skill better so it is really an amazing opportunity to at least simulate [learning] in a mock clinical setting,” Sean Michael Cuare, President of Student Nurses Organization said.
After the evaluation, the University will submit the acceptance of the evaluation and will wait for the certification from CHED. This will indicate the start of the limited face-to-face classes of BS Nursing Level III and IV for Related Learning Experience (RLE) subjects.
ASU will be the first institution in Aklan to be granted permission to offer limited face-to-face classes for its BS Nursing program once the certification is issued by CHED.
By Jonell S. Gregorio I Information Officer, ASU-Banga
