Uncertainties and stress have filled most of our lives for the past two years. This is especially true for the parents or guardians of our learners. Most have questions regarding the quality of education their children are getting and yet the question “is it safe to send our children back to school?” still arises.
Schools are slowly reopening. MCC wants the best for its students. As a higher education institution, MCC wants to deliver its top-notch education and facilities to its students once again. As an embodiment of the learners’ second parent, MCC wants its students to be safe and not to be put at great risk. So, to meld the two thoughts, the College took into consideration the benefits and risks, public health and socio-economic factors in the local context to formulate its conduct of limited face-to-face classes.
In light of the foregoing, MCC oriented its students’ parents/guardians on the topics of safety precautions the school is taking; school support for the student's health needs - be it physical and/or mental, and support for research and reading materials from the college library. They were likewise informed that participation in the limited face-to-face classes is not mandatory but voluntary and that there are prerequisites including the consent form which needs to be signed by the parents/guardians before a student may participate in the limited in-person classes. The parents/guardians were no less than engaged as proved by the volume of questions during the QandA leg of the orientation.
In the words of MCC’s Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Support Services, Mr. Beejay Sebastian from previously conducted orientations, “this [the orientation] is not in any way meant to persuade anyone to attend limited face-to-face classes. We are conducting this orientation so that the parents/guardians can make an informed decision whether to allow their children to participate in the school’s limited in-person classes”.
Dr. Myrna Calma, IBE Dean, closed the orientation by thanking everyone, especially all the parents/guardians who were present. She then assured that future questions from the parents will still be heard and the corresponding answers be given.
