For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, Negros Maritime College Foundation Inc. opened its first academic year since the unprecedented health crisis began, with hope to add more enrollees despite the current situation.

Academic year 2020-21 was opened with a simple orientation via Zoom being seen by first year students and transferees, with the orientation focusing on how the academic year will work in this pandemic and understanding the code of discipline of the institution.

Dr. Zeth dela Cruz-Fopalan, the president of NMCFI, said in her welcome remarks during the orientation that this is the first time that the school will implement online classes for the first time in its 26-year history, as face-to-face classes are still suspended at this time.

She also disclosed during her welcome remarks that the online asynchronous classes were first used during the summer classes that was held in June and July 2020.

She also describes the rules and conditions of the online flexible asynchronous classes and also describes the consequences if students don’t follow the rules in terms of their device usage during the semester.

The institution will use the asynchronous flexible style of learning, which means students will enable to have classes anytime, either using the internet or for those living in areas without internet connectivity, offline copies or a USB containing the files used from the online classes are used.

The institution, despite the holding of the online asynchronous classes, is still in high hopes that they will continue to serve the maritime community despite these challenges and hope that the government will push through limited face-to-face classes despite the current COVID-19 pandemic.