As students, it is part of your responsibility to attend classes regularly and check your attendance records. Excess tardiness and absences may lead to an R (repeat) grade regardless of academic performance.
Keep the following policies in mind when it comes to attendance:
- Students must regularly and punctually attend all class meetings, face-to-face or online, in all their courses.
- Students are late (counted as a half-absence) if they arrive in class within:
- The first 20 minutes of a 1-hour class
- The first 30 minutes of a 1.5-hour (or longer) class
- Students are marked absent if they arrive after:
- The first 20 minutes of a 1-hour class
- The first 30 minutes of a 1.5-hour (or longer) class
- Regardless of academic standing, students who incur absences of more than 20% of the total course hours will get a failing grade (R) and will earn no credits for the course.
- Students shall receive a failing grade if they incur:
- 6 or more absences in a class conducted twice a week
- 3 or more absences in a class conducted once a week
- 3 or more absences in laboratory or modular classes
- Excess absence is not a valid reason for withdrawal
- All faculty members are expected to begin their classes on time. When a faculty member is late for a class, the class should wait for:
- First 20 minutes of a 1-hour class
- First 30 minutes of a 1.5-hour class
- First 40 minutes of a 2-hour class
- First 60 minutes of a 3-hour (or longer class)
- Teachers may mark students absent if they leave their class earlier than the indicated waiting period.
- If the teacher does not arrive within the indicated time, students may leave the class and shouldn’t be marked absent.
- Students are entitled to a full review of the lesson in the following meeting when the teacher arrives beyond the prescribed waiting period.
Approved Absences
- Absences can be excused when the student will be representing Benilde at an event, competition, or training or will be attending a required school activity such as retreat or recollection. They need to submit an Approved Absence Form and have their teachers sign it.
- Approved absences shall not be counted against students nor regarded as part of the number of allowable absences. Students shall be allowed to make up for missed quizzes, examinations, graded recitations, assignments, seatwork, and other activities or requirements at the soonest possible time.
- Personal circumstances such as special occasions (birthdays) and family events are not covered in the approved absences policy.
Absences Due to Illness
- Students who are sick can consult with the clinic. The clinic, however, cannot approve absences for the student. The student should communicate their situation to their teacher. The teacher will be the one to decide whether to excuse the student or not.
- If the illness or condition falls under the following, students should provide an accurate timeline and health information to the:
- Center for Health and Medical Services (clinic@benilde.edu.ph) for medical conditions that may require hospitalization or surgical procedures and/or infectious diseases (for example, pulmonary tuberculosis, viral exanthems, HFMD, coronavirus, dengue, mumps, etc.)
- Benilde Well-being Center (bwc@benilde.edu.ph) for mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, developmental disorders like ADHD and ASD that require immediate attention and treatment by mental health professionals
- The following documents should be submitted:
- Medical clearance from the attending physician indicating the diagnosis, procedure done (if any), fitness to return to face-to-face/online class, and limitations in activities, if any
- Certificate of Confinement (as required)
- CHMS or BWC will issue a medical clearance to the student to be presented to the faculty for reasonable accommodation. The student is responsible for their academic requirements.
- Sensitive personal information will only be disclosed to CHMS or BWC.
- If the student will be absent for a period beyond 20% of the course hours, the student or their duly authorized representative should notify the School Dean or Program Chairperson.