I received an email from a classmate saying that the High School Department of UP Visayas in Cebu will slowly be phased out in the next few years. Next year, each year level will be reduced to only one section. That means the population will be reduced by more than half.So how are they going to do it? Fail two-thirds of the class, and then abolish removal exams? That would be sadistic. I had plenty of 3.0s then but I remembered not taking any of the removal exams. I barely passed. Maybe I got 2.9 something, but since we’re using the 11-point grading system, it was rounded off to 3.0. A failing grade is common in UP.
The school can limit the number of incoming first years. But that is denying a lot of deserving kids the best education. I don’t mean to say that only UP can give the best education. But it’s the cheapest out there, and it offers great opportunities for kids coming from low income bracket families. We have three kids in church enrolled at UP.
But the news is not really something new to us. Back in 1989 when we were HS juniors, we heard that the department would be converted into a public high school, and turned over to the baranggay. So we referred to it as Camagong Baranggay High School, and feared that our diplomas won’t bear the name of the prestigious school. Our wealthy classmates were most affected. But the fear died down later on our senior years.
The faculty teachers kept on reminding us that we have to take our education seriously since it is the government’s money. We’re all scholars, so they say, and there are plenty other deserving kids out there. The school even instituted measures then, barring rich kids (or even those from middle-income families) from enrolling in the first year. UP: University of the Poor. And I think it was an excellent move.
But this latest move of abolishing our high school is too much. I hope that something must be done before the grand reunion next year. By the way, UP is celebrating its centennial year in 2008. It would be sad celebrating it knowing that your high school would cease to exist in the near future.
3 comments:
Education is always the first casualty of government cutbacks. Its no wonder the dropout rate is steadily rising. Teachers are leaving for abroad and the government's focus is in skills development also for deployment abroad.
This is nothing new in Gloria's enchanted kingdom.
advance happy centennial pala sa beloved UP school mo novz!...by the way thanks for the visit and message..God bless
mschumey, it is sad to know that education suffers. I even wish they exand UP High.
norms, i have mixed feelings about this centennial thing. but I'd certainly buy souvenir items.
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