Tuition Fee Hike

Nakakainis hindi ba? The CHED does cha-cha over their stand on schools who are requesting some tuition fee hike amidst the economic slowdown that the Philippines is on (Economic slowdown, not recession according to Winnie Monsod). Ang masaklap pa nito, maraming mga paaralan sa bansa ang abuso sa kanilang deregulated status na kesyo hindi na sila sakop ng CHED moratoriums eh halabira na silang gawin ang gusto nila at the expense of the "kawawang" parents (na nagkakanda-kuba na sa tuyot na sakahan na pagmamay-ari ng iba). Marami ding hanep ang sakripisyo, tigil-aral kasi hindi na kayang tustusan. Pero hindi kailangan masadlak nalang sa ganitong sitwasyon. Kung talagang magaling ka, puwede kang magbanat ng buto at labanan ang sistemang dulot ng kawalanghiyaan ng mga ilang paaralan, ang kakitiran ng mga utak ng mga nasa sangay ng pagbalangkas ng mga polisiya sa Edukasyon at iba pang awtoridad. Utak niyo amag!

Worse, karamihan ng mga estudyante ay feeling! Wala lang sa kanila ang mga aspetong ito bagkus mas inintindi pa ang pagliit ng kanilang kupit mula sa kanilang ibabayad sanang tuition fee sa kanilang paaralan para matustusan lamang ang kanilang luho: bisyong alak, babae, drugs, yosi, textmates, computer games, atbpa. (Huwag ka, totoo ito... nakatira ako sa community na maraming nagpapaboarding kaya alam ko ang huwisyo ng maraaming estudyante.). Imbes na mag-aral ng mabuti para kapag naka-top eh makadiscount or ma-exempt sa exam ng maging proud naman ang parents, hayun naroon sila sa kanto kanto ng Mormon's Church patext-text at pabaske-basketball... Hay buhay! Mabuti na lamang ay walang tuition fee hike sa LC. Pero hanggang kailan? Ano naman ang mga masasakripisyong services? Hindi naman ito magic magic para ignorin ang needs ng school para sa isang de-kalidad na Edukasyon at para sa mga empleyado nito. Pero saludo ako sa LC, katulad din ng ilang schools sa Dagupan sapagkat kasama nila ang parents na tumitiklop sa panahon ng krisis pang-ekonomiya na nararanasan ngayon. Matatandaan na hindi lamang sa taong ito nagkaroon ng "No tuition Fee Hike" sa LC kundi nagkaroon din ng ilang payment scheme sa naturang paaralan kagaya ng O down payment, enrol now pay later, etc.

Kaya mga estudyang pulpol... Huwag na kayong mag-aral kung hindi niyo kayang ayusin ang buhay niyo. Kung mahal niyo ang pamilya niyo; Makisama kayo sa pagtitipid. Nag-imbestiga na ba kayo kung nagmemeryenda ang nanay o kaya tatay niyo, may maiabot lang na datung na siyang kakaltasan niyo lang sa bandang huli? Kaya pala walang naglalakas-loob sa inyo para salungatin at ipaglaban ang karapatan sa school kasi karamihan mismong mga estudyante lalu na ang mga lider lideran, mga nagsisimula sa mababang uri ng corruption... ang "pagkupit" sa tuition fee. At ano ang susunod na mangyayari? "Infection", na magdudulot ng "chronic" na sakit na matindi pa sa TB na tatama sa inyong buong pagkatao at magpapahirap sa buong bansang Pilipinas. At pagkatapos, maninisi kayo ng iba? What a lame excuse!

Hay buhay... gising gising! Makibahagi sa pagtiklop, hindi lang school ang dapat gumawa ng paraan. Kayo din. Nakita niyo naba ang mga estudyyante ng DMMMSU? Maraming naglalakad hindi ba? I-divert ang ilang energy para makatipid. Gamitin ang utak hindi ang utak sa ibaba... turn off the TV when the freak shows are there, watch programs that matters. Hindi yung mga programang nagpro-promote ng hindi matalino at realistikong pakikipagrelasyon, "marami na pong tao sa Pilipinas buhay ng mga artista parin ang pinoproblema..."

Does the School Matters?

I visited my old old school's website and I'm surprised to find an ongoing argument via the LH message board. It has been there for a while, the argument was posted by an unknown person claiming to be a Luisian. It was a funny ass I guess but as he keeps on bugging the site for Lormanians to react (not even sure if they are from LC); it arouses claims on the superiority of two rival schools who are totally different in terms of the standard of Education that it provides its students. Popularity-wise, Lorma and SLC do share their own domains but to tackle on its "superiority" without making concrete points as to what areas are mere immature quarrels that is not even viable as a Debate proposition. The LH blog is not even the proper forum to post such pronouncements as it lacks that kind of feature. Why the absence of such forum? Is this part of the transition from a threat? I know jalm might react on this because way-back few months ago, he did a little contribution in coming up with an amateur discussion forum that lacked support from the LH staff. There was even fear as we chat, is that due to censorship issues? Personally, I admire people like jalm because he is a proof of a student who seeks answers to variable questions and issues concerning them. However, we could not be sure how long his determination could hold him up and others; or simply he is just a representative of so many youth who are bored by this existing Educational Systems in most schools in the country.

Going back to the question, "Does the School Matters?" I would have to qualify my answer with a "yes" because it is a learned social behavior that is relevant to most Asians - it is in Education that uplifts the individual to interact from one social agency to another. An individual begins interaction within the Family through his parents and the school is usually the second agency that he interacts with. Education plays a crucial part in "career path" and certain elements within the school are influential factors in a man's self-esteem and ability to survive in each niche. Remember, Obama attended Harvard and it is within Harvard that he has expound his political views crossing from a least passive role in Chicago to now, the ultimate path of his career as the new US president. I would say that the school matters because that agency should have a "simulation" of the actual world up there but I think most schools stagnate because instead of moving forward as society progresses from agriculture to industry, it makes a significant picture that indeed it has a difficulty in adopting to such vicious change. The late Gov. Justo O. Orros rationalized that the "Philippines is taking its time" when confronted with a question as to why Malaysia and other rice-producing country in Asia are far progressive well in fact they trained from the Philippines via IRRI? The politician had that rationalization which stuck into my head for years in one of the events in LC. I was struck by the response of laxity and I bet those who listened have their own opinion. (Why would LC have such laxity on choosing such speakers? What are their guidelines?) I am not against politicians speaking in schools but how good are these "figures" in motivating students? The school matters because the student is supposed to take his first liberal step outside of his own family circle. I would affirm Dr. Emilio Joven's little chat while we were assisting him in a minor operation commenting on "Why would student still be accompanied by their parents in the enrollment process? Aren't they old enough to make decisions?" He has a point there, was it because of a certain level of "mistrust" that the parents are so rigid in entrusting their money or was it the over-protectiveness or fear of most mothers that they felt the need to accompany their children all the time from filling up those enrollment forms, doing the talking for their children at the Dean's office or Registrar. There are many implications of such unnoticed harmful effects of over-protectiveness. On the other hand, a "student" begins to "cheat" based on outside variables. His vulnerability is a result of so many laxities, within the family itself and yes, the schools are not addressing such laxities because some are just too concerned about getting the cash and providing a sound-to-be-good service disguising as Best Quality to be sold. Like what Inday said in her earlier testimonials about that Champion detergent commercial, that you have to pay... School matters because the school is supposed to be the first battle ground to exercise your freedom. It is saddening to realize that most schools are "underachiever" of so many things, that they could not facilitate to preach what they revised in their new directions. No matter how authorities would "revise and put a tag on a commodity if the content is still the same, fortification will fail (just like what happened with FIT, it did not replace water to wash our vegetables and fruits.)". You want to know where your money goes? Don't look at the new buildings, not the facilities... look at the heart of the institution- the teachers. They are significant determinants of the power of quality Education. The question is, how long will the teachers remain "passive"? Are the students ready to learn?