The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila will open academic year 2020-2021 on October 5 instead of the original September 3 opening date.
All undergraduate units and graduate schools will adjust their respective school activities and deadlines, except for the College of Law and College of Medicine which will start classes on September 3.
The Board of Regents arrived at the decision to reschedule the opening of classes under blended learning during its August 25 meeting, which was upheld by members of the University Council. Both bodies agreed that the additional one-month window is needed to give way for more preparations for the rollout of virtual classrooms, as well as to retool faculty, staff, and students on the new modes of learning. Additional trainings for professors will be provided, on top of the initial sessions in June and July.
To ensure that students with no reliable internet connections can keep pace, a system for printing modules and distribution via the City of Manila’s barangay bureau is also being readied.
The University engaged faculty and staff for a simulation of digital classrooms using the Microsoft Teams platform last week, PLM’s email and online services provider. PLM’s Information & Communications Technology Office is also in the process of migrating student profiles from CRS to MS Teams to ensure a seamless transition once classes start. Once completed, another dry run will be hosted to include students at a later date.
“We are ramping up our preparations for the opening of PLM’s virtual campus. Remote learning is new to the University but rest assured that we are doing our best to make the experience as smooth and engaging as possible for our dear students. We are also finalizing our blended learning protocols to ensure that no student will be left behind under our ‘new normal’ setup,” PLM President Emmanuel Leyco said.
The registration period for new and returning students is scheduled until September 6, which is purely done online. Face-to-face interactions remain prohibited to prevent COVID-19 infections.
PLM is a premier public university which has produced graduates who have contributed to nation-building since 1965. For more info, visit www.plm.edu.ph.