In the interest of public health and safety, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila has decided that classes in all levels during the first semester of Academic Year 2020-2021 will be delivered online.
The University is in the process of investing in new equipment and software and has been preparing training modules for faculty to equip them for the shift to virtual learning, which has emerged as the most viable option to sustain education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is PLM’s “new normal,” on top of the health standards imposed by the national government such as the wearing of masks and social distancing.
All lectures will be done through digital means. Classes that will require on-site and laboratory components will be offered in the second semester, provided that quarantine rules will allow face-to-face schooling by then. Enrollment guidelines and class schedules will be announced at a later date.
“We are giving an early notice to PLM students that the first semester of the upcoming school year will be done online to ease concerns regarding their safety once classes start. Instead of worrying about how to commute to school with limited transport options, students can focus and better prepare themselves for the coming academic year,” PLM President Emmanuel Leyco said.
“We will explore options to ensure that no student will be left behind as we shift to online classes,” President Leyco added.
PLM has taken steps to embrace digital solutions in preparation for blended learning, which will tap out-of-classroom solutions amid the public health crisis. The final PLM Admission Test for the upcoming school year will be administered fully online on June 11, with applications accepted through the website until last Monday, June 1.
The PLM administration has maintained a skeleton workforce since Metro Manila shifted to general community quarantine this month, largely to prepare for the adoption of virtual lectures.
However, the PLM management is aware of internet connectivity issues that affect its students and faculty. Thus, the use of home-based completion of school assignments and scheduled student recitations are also being explored.
Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila offers tuition-free education to undergraduate students, pursuant to Republic Act 10931 or the "Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act."
The institution has produced graduates who have contributed to nation-building since 1965. For more information, visit www.plm.edu.ph #