Temporary Policy Applicability for Covid 19 Pandemic and During Extraordinary Time

Updated on May 24, 2022

All TCM programs in BC listed in Schedule H were approved to offer courses in-person (i.e., live and physically present in one location).

Currently, there is no permanent policy to allow online instruction on an ongoing basis, and the Education & Examination Committee is considering a proposal for such at this time.

Under the original version of the temporary policy that expires in June 2022, TCM schools in Schedule H have discretion in how to respond to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as individual institutions, provided they remain current and compliant with Public Health Orders and WorkSafeBC guidelines. The College approved online classroom instruction during this extraordinary time to provide schools with one more option in responding to this health situation.

According to the “Covid 19 Public Health Guidance for Post-Secondary Institutions” (the Latest Updated version published on April 25, 2022), currently the risk of Covid-19 spreading on campus in in-person education settings is low, particularly in the context of a highly immunized population.

The BC Centre for Disease Control states that with health and safety measures in place, institutions are encouraged to prioritize on-campus instruction whenever possible.

Schools offering in-person courses when the public health situation permits should adhere to the infection control protocols according to provincial safety guidelines for educational institutions.

Hence, the Committee updates this temporary policy to this current version to allow online classroom instruction under the following specific circumstances only. 

Institutions should follow the policy guideline when providing online classroom instruction to students on a temporary basis.

1. Extension of Online Learning Permission during Covid-19 Pandemic

In accommodating students and institutions to transition back to on-campus instruction in an organized fashion, the committee recommends that institutions should establish a plan and communicate to students the expectation of in-person instruction for didactic courses based on the program’s approved curriculum by CTCMA with consideration of the full capacity and facility of the campus. The committee allows online instruction to be provided until end of June 2023 or until a permanent policy is developed unless there is a need to offer online classroom instruction during extraordinary time as defined in part #2 of the temporary policy.

If there is any change in the Covid-19 situation provincially, the committee will review this part #1 of the policy in response to any new public health orders and measures.

     2. Updating the Definition of “Extraordinary Time”– to Include Emergency Situations in the Temporary Policy

This temporary policy can be applied in regional emergency situations, such as flood, fire, extreme weather conditions, public health emergency situations, etc., resulting in the institutions’ campus closure under provincial emergency management’s and/or public health recommendation.

Policy Guideline

1. Online instruction can be offered as an option to a student or students:
   1. when the student(s) cannot attend classes in person due to self-isolation and/or when they are following public health safety guidelines and restrictions.
   2. there is a public health regional or provincial directive to recommend or require the institution to close campus,
   3. there is a regional emergency to recommend an institution to close campus.
2. The TCM schools in Schedule H should follow the public health guidance for post-secondary institutions for best practice to operate during the Covid 19 pandemic and the provincial safety guidelines for post-secondary institutions.

When the need for online instruction for particular student(s) has been established:

1. The TCM Programs must follow all guidelines and policies from the Ministry of Advanced Education and the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) for online course instruction to ensure the permitted change in delivery format does not affect instruction quality, course content, and/or learning outcomes. There might be requirements to log student attendance and participation during the online instruction for school administration purpose.
2. The courses must be taught by the same instructors (or instructors with the same qualifications), using the same course reference materials, following the same course outlines with the same learning outcomes as in the approved curriculum previously reviewed and approved by the Education Program Review team. This change only involves using an online technology to substitute in-person classroom instruction to deliver the course materials. The scheduled time, course content and course duration should not be changed. Course instruction provided by pre-recorded videos is NOT
3. Online instruction is an option and each school will make its own arrangements for currently running classes, which might include postponement and/or cancellation of classes.
4. This guideline is applicable for didactic courses. When clinical portions of the programs need to be re-scheduled or cancelled, schools should try to offer the clinical courses at a later appropriate time as soon as possible. Virtual delivery of clinical training is NOT