CHED requires notarized consent for off-campus events

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has lifted the ban on local off-campus activities but has imposed tighter regulations.

They now require an individual notarized letter per student for every activity.

The activities cover educational tours or field trips, field studies, educational linkages and student development activities.

Also included are non-curricular-based activities such as mission-based immersion or reach-out programs, conventions, conferences, trainings, volunteer work, interschool competitions, cultural performances and team development activities.

Abe Cadeliña, head of Silliman University Student Organization and Activities Division (SOAD), admitted that the new requirements are very strict and would entail extra costs.

“To be honest, I think that the requirements are difficult, but there’s nothing we can do about it because it’s required by CHED and we just have to comply,” he said.

However, Cadelina said that his office is eyeing to change the requirement through legal processes.

Instead of having one letter per activity per student, the office plans to require only one notarized letter for each student to cover all activities for one semester.

The new CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 63 also imposes a checklist that includes medical clearance, first aid kit, information on fees/fund source, insurance, mobility/transportation, LGUs/NGOs coordination, among many others.

During the activities, the CMO requires personnel-in-charge or chaperones, and learning journals of students, assessment or evaluation report, and expenditure report and debriefing.

A separate CMO applies to international educational tours or field trips, students undergoing local and international internship, and on-the-job training or practicum.