CNU defends move to shift to full online classes

Local

AMID criticism from students who called the move abrupt, Cebu Normal University (CNU) defended its sudden shift to full online classes, saying it is only a temporary adjustment in line with the school’s multi-billion peso modernization plan.

University President Daniel A. Ariaso Sr. said the shift was necessary to accommodate the retrofitting of classrooms and facilities for two major infrastructure projects. These include P947-million Centralized Student Smart Hub and the P998-million Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Development Program.

The projects are part of CNU’s nearly P2-billion development blueprint aimed at transforming the university into a smart, digitally driven campus.

“This is for you,” Ariaso said in a press conference on Friday, July 25, addressing the criticism that the shift came without adequate preparation. He said the administration understands the inconvenience but asked for patience, stressing that temporary disruptions are part of any major development effort.

Ariaso added that “in economic parlance, where development is, there will always be disruptions.”

Ariaso also said that the university is committed to minimizing learning loss and will adopt appropriate online modalities to ensure continuity and quality in education. He gave assurance that the return to face-to-face classes will happen once the facilities are certified as usable by the proper authorities.

The university’s directive took effect on July 22, following Memorandum Circular No. 43, which mandated the online delivery of all classes at the CNU Main Campus, including the Integrated Laboratory School.

The arrangement will remain in place until the project secures a certificate of acceptance and occupancy. Only students and faculty from the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences and the CNU Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center College of Medicine are exempt.

Student organizations across the campus responded with a joint statement criticizing the administration for announcing the shift without consulting students or faculty.

They said the abrupt decision caused confusion and logistical challenges, especially for those who had already relocated to Cebu or paid non-refundable boarding fees.

Others now face connectivity issues and lack access to proper study spaces at home.

The coalition of 18 organizations said the move disrupted students’ preparations and reignited long-standing concerns about the accessibility and quality of fully online learning.

They added that freshmen, in particular, were left isolated, unable to experience campus life or form social connections during the first weeks of the academic year.

While recognizing the administration’s challenges, the groups stressed that major academic decisions must include meaningful engagement with stakeholders.

They warned that top-down decisions, no matter how well-intentioned, risk becoming detached from the lived realities of students.

“This is a call for collaboration, for accountability, and for a university culture where decisions are made with students, not simply for them,” the student groups said in their unity statement.

They urged the administration to delay the full online shift until transparent and inclusive consultations are conducted with students, faculty, and stakeholders. The groups emphasized that engaging students in co-creating learning modalities would lead to more equitable and sustainable outcomes.

Among the signatories were CNU SoSciety, CNU Polikratos, I-Mind Psychology Society, English Fellows, CINE-U, AVE, and Kabataan Partylist–CNU, which also invited the student body to a protest scheduled at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 25.

The CNU Supreme Student Council first released the memorandum online on July 21. That same day was designated as a transition period for deans, faculty, and students to finalize schedules and online strategies.

In this memorandum, Ariaso assured the community that the university would implement flexible learning methods to help reduce educational disruptions, with face-to-face classes resuming once construction is completed.(MyTVCebu)