“Let your graduation remind you of the gains that you have achieved collectively and individually.”- J. Prosper E. De Vera III, Chairperson of Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
While the pandemic has hindered the education institutions to initiate face-to-face graduation, Dr. De Vera believed that it did not stop the CHED’s aspirations to produce competitive and quality graduates in a form of flexible learning.
In his speech during the 2020 & 2021 West Visayas State University Online Commencement Exercises, Dr. De Vera has projected honor and displayed a salutation to the graduates who successfully championed the difficulties of remote learning.
“I understand your frustration of missing a live graduation pero saludo ako sa inyo dahil nagpatagumpayan ninyo ang mga hamon ng pandemya at naipagpatuloy sa kabila ng mga balakid at limitasyon at ngayon ay mas handa na kayong harapin ang susunod na yugto ng inyong buhay,” Dr. De Vera said.
Aside from gracing the graduation rights, Dr. De Vera has also witnessed stories of success among students who are facing difficulties in online learning where he also shared it during his graduation message.
Exuding pride and happiness, Dr. De Vera shared that even during a pandemic, there are more than 1.6 million Filipinos in more than 200 public universities who now continue to receive quality education for free.
It might have been hard for the students but he also ensured that the CHED will continue to nourish the skills of the learners who are dedicated to working independently by adapting policy in the new normal.
“You and your university were able to courageously respond to the needs of the times. Move forward as one and rise above the challenges. Now in the part of CHED, we acted quickly and conscientiously at the onset of pandemic and devised ways to allow continued access to quality education through flexible modes of learning,” Dr. De Vera emphasized.
Dr. De Vera is also optimistic that the graduates will become active contributors to the national growth and competitiveness of the country.
He also urged the graduates to make a distinctive mark in society by transforming lives through the competencies they acquired anchored to the university’s core values.
“Never stop learning and continue to pursue activities that will serve as precursors of discovery to ensure continuous productivity and sustainability for our future generation,” Dr. De Vera concluded.
-Jonar Dorado/CILPI