The Institute of Fish Processing Technology (IFPT) conducted a two-week bridging program for graduating students of the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS).
The bridge program, which ran from March 21 to April 1, was intended for the graduating undergraduate and graduate students who are attending limited face-to-face laboratory classes.
The initiative was aimed to provide students with refresher course on important topics in fisheries microbiology, fisheries biochemistry, and sensory evaluation of fish and fishery products, undergo different hands-on laboratory experiments relevant to the conduct of their thesis/dissertation, as well as learn the basics of data analysis, interpretation of results, and report writing.
Twenty-two (22) students, divided into four batches, participated in the training. The first two batches were catered on March 21 to 25, 2022, while Batches 3 and 4 were accommodated on March 28 to April 1, 2022.
Strict observance of laboratory safety protocols and compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures were implemented.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected not only the socio-economic and health care systems but also the educational set up of the country. School closures across all levels due to lockdowns had consequently shifted the delivery of classes to remote learning which brought a myriad of challenges that gave rise to learning losses and inequality, especially for graduating students who will have to conduct their respective experiments in the laboratories.
The CFOS, with the authority granted by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and approval of the Local Government Unit of Miagao, Iloilo, has been holding limited face-to-face laboratory classes for all of its programs this Second Semester of Academic Year 2021-2022.
The CFOS laboratories were opened to the students on March 1, 2022 to give graduating thesis and special problem students an opportunity to comply with the requirements of their respective degree programs.
The successful implementation of the bridging training program was made possible through the participation of the IFPT faculty and personnel, particularly from the Seafood Chemistry, Fisheries Microbiology, and Fisheries Chemistry Laboratories, with utmost support from the CFOS administration.
The bridging program was funded through the Academic Program Improvement (API) of the University of the Philippines Visayas.
