The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued a memorandum on April 5, 2019 to CHED Regional Office Directors, Officers-in-Charge, Heads of SUCs and LUCs by the CHED Chair Prospero De Vera III enjoining all state universities and colleges and local universities and colleges to start the academic year 2019-2020 in August.

According to De Vera, “pursuant to the pertinent provisions of RA 7722, otherwise known as ‘Higher Education Act of 1994’ and CEB Resolution No. 142-2019. All SUCs and LUCs are enjoined to synchronize its respective Academic Year (AY) to a Fiscal Year (FY) starting FY 2019 and to ensure that starting FY 2020, all SUCs and LUCs have synchronized their academic year to a fiscal year.”

This move he said, “will create more joint programs and partnerships with other universities, allow students to get transfer credits and address the problem with semestral gaps with partner universities since it synchronizes with ASEAN, European and American academic partners.”