Re: College

April of this year, 2011, I graduated from high school. Basically, the four years I spent in my secondary level will really serve as my great foundation in college since I came from a science-oriented school. We had advance subjects, we already discussed the basic collegiate English, Math and Science curricula so I guess it wouldn't be that difficult for me to adjust.

Anyway, I'm here to write about my plans in college.

I am an incoming BS Computer Science Major in Computer Networking student at Asia Pacific College which is located in Magallanes, Makati. Obviously, mine's a computer course, the trending one actually, but if you're going to ask me if I have any other courses desired at the back of my mind, I'll surely answer you with Communication Arts or Broadcasting. My parents didn't force me with CS, I'm the one who chose it but if I had more universities or colleges to choose from, I might have really pursued anything related to communication because that is my forte, socializing and speaking.

So plans...

• I'd like to be a dean's lister. Who doesn't in the first place, right? Being rewarded because of your efforts is very satisfying. But still, I don't want to dream a lot because knowing myself, I have this ningas-kugon attitude which I am planning to erase for it caused me a lot trouble these past few years.
• Attaining that 100% scholarship is more ideal. I'm the only child who's still studying among my siblings and being the last born child gives me this very awkward feeling every time I see my parents struggle for my future. I know it's their responsibility but wouldn't it be nicer if I'll help them ease their burden? The original tuition for my course is at around 45K but since I am a graduate of a public school and APC offers 50% discount to public school students, it decreased to 21-23K. It's a big help indeed but 20K surely is still a big thing. If my Mom and Dad can just save that money for themselves and go to a spa and relax, I'll be happier so I'll work hard to get a 100% scholarship if ever possible.
• Keep a good social life. Of course in scholarships, a person has to meet some certain grades in order to continue utilizing the program he has. In my case, I need to maintain a grade of 1.5 at the end of the year, that is equivalent to 75% in APC. Their grading system is different in which 4 is the highest. Keeping high grades shouldn't necessarily mean the downfall of my social life so I think I should do some work to keep many friends coming. Socializing does not equate me going inside bars in the middle of the night nor wandering in Morato till 3 in the morning. I'm not a party-lover so socializing. for me, simply means going out, watching some movies and befriending more people. Please do not bombard me of how lame my night life is.

I guess that is all. There's nothing wrong with aiming high but sometimes we really need to know ourselves so that we will not end up disappointing more people. If I promise myself this and that, if I keep on telling my brain that I should do this and that, I don't think any of those will work. I'm just going keep good or high grades and still a very nice communication towards other people. 

I've already rested for a year in high school, no I didn't stop okay. I just went with the flow during my senior year, come-what-may-type, yes. So college deserves to have more attention, effort, time, and patience. I should somehow stop being madly obsessed with leisure time and start doing my job as a certified and full-time college student on June 6, 2011.

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12 Years?

(Photo from Sidney Snoeck) Well that's pretty obvious okay?

The other day, I was listening to this radio show and the topic was about the upcoming 12-year education system in the Philippines. I’ve heard so many comments, most of the other listeners were against it and a few were very willing to support the program.

Personally, I disagree with it. It’s not that I do not like the 12-year program, I know it’ll mean a lot for the next generations of this nation but I do not think we, the government and the Filipino citizens, are financially ready for that.

The Department of Education has proposed numerous solutions for the rebuttal of some critics. The most clear points are:

1. The proposed program will help the Filipino students to be more molded in their crafts.
2. More years to study simply means a wider range of knowledge to be taught to the youth.
3. Some subjects, especially in Grade 11 and 12, will give basic information to the outgoing high school students about their chosen course in college. Thus making them prepared and legitimate to work after high school.

Okay so this is it.

• Fiscal problems. With our present education system which allots six years in elementary and four years in high school, only a few are lucky to graduate and to continue studying in college. Most of the students in high school prefer working even before graduating due to financial problems.
• We lack schools. The representative of the DepEd in that radio show said that this wouldn’t be a very big problem because they are buildingmore schools to accommodate more students. But let me ask you, do you think in a span of two years, you can easily produce thousands of schools? If ever possible, do you think my third point will not cause any difficulties in their solution?
• We lack teachers. Thousands of future teachers graduate every year but many choose to work in other fields due to the very low salary given to this noble profession. If I’m not mistaken, some representatives in the congress are contemplating this new bill regarding the wage increase for educators. We all know that this will take a long time to be labeled as a law. Too long for the 12-year system which will be implemented sooner.

You see, we are not yet ready. No matter how many solutions the government will propose, as long as these present problems aren’t solved, we can’t go any further than the contemporary system we have.

It’s nice to know that there is progress occurring. However, imagine, in just one year, they planned all of this. Do you think this will even be as efficient as what other countries have? Remember we’re different from them. We need not to conform ourselves just because we have a different arrangement of education. Instead, why not solve the lack of books, classrooms, teachers and the quality of teaching? It’s better than hastily adding another two years. 

The proposal sounds great but again the Philippines is not ready for that. Not now. In the future maybe.

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