Watching the news today alarmed me about the Quezon City Science High School (QueSci) conundrum. 4 STUDENTS WERE SUSPENDED FOR BLOGGING ABOUT THEIR PRINCIPAL. Their offense: they gave a false image about their principal thus, including the school, if I heard it right.
I am not familiar with the REAL story on what’s happening in the four corners of QueSci. But since last year, I’ve been hearing not-so-good-accounts about the said ‘principal’ from QueSci students, parents, and alumni.
I am bothered by this incident because this badly reflects the image of the Philippine educational system. The ‘system’ I am pertaining to not only includes the curriculum (what the students are supposed to learn), the government (who is fueling the general literacy program of the nation), but most importantly the bureaucracy (the people at the backbone of the educational system). This bureaucracy includes not only the teachers, but palpably the administrators —people who have positions in running the schools. Let us include in the list those public school principals, superintendents (read: ‘shooooperintendents’), supervisors (read: ‘shoooopervisors’), regional directors, and most importantly the ‘Czar of Education,’ I mean, Secretary of Education.
Why be bothered? Simply, because they reflect how corrupted the system is. Take note, ‘corrupted,’ that’s how worse it is. Corrupted not only in the sense of taking moolah or being plain graft, but corrupted in the sense of idealism, hence, rationality (if ever they have them).
Reading this blog entry of a QueSci student dated 17th of September 2008 and this one dated 28th of June 2008, gave me an insight of what’s going on in that school. From what I’ve read, I’m sticking to the rationality corruption of the administrators of the said school. Although I may say that I’m biased already since I haven’t heard the side of the latter, even my sixth grade students can tell that something is not right in the way things are handled in that high school. And IF EVER, she did say those quoted lines, what kind of evidence would you still ask for?
Why am I awfully bothered by this issue? Because I believe that QueSci produces great students. I know several graduates from this school who are really good, may they be my classmates in college or current co-workers. I may not be an alumnus of this school but I do have high regards with people who came from this school.
Why am I dreadfully bothered by this issue? One, because I have four previous students who are studying right now at QueSci. Two, because 12 of the 31 students from the graduating class I’m handling right now passed the first screening for the said science high. They will take the second screening in the last weekend of the month and I am very optimistic of the results of the test. In four months time, they will be in high school. And by that time, I don’t want them to experience such irrationality in their high school life.
In an interview of a Department of Education Undersecretary, he mentioned that the parents can appeal to the Regional Director regarding the suspension of the four students. It seems that they already know that something wrong is happening in that school. Isn’t that a hint already that they should do their own investigation about the said incident? In the first place, it’s their own personnel who are being castigated in this issue.
And so, I URGE the DepEd people to do something about this matter before it escalates to another level of disparity.
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In another news, random drug testing will be done among public and private high school students staring this March.
The drug tests aims to “determine the prevalence of drug users among the studentry, assess the effectivity of school- and community-based prevention programs, deter the use of illegal drugs, facilitate the rehabilitation of drug dependents, and strengthen the collaborative efforts of identified agencies against the use of illegal drugs.”
I reckon that the rationale of this program is for the benefit of the country’s almost 7 million high school students. What a great feat indeed for the ‘antidrug czar’ of the Philippines, or should I say ‘czarina,’ Madamme president?
And oh! By the way, I just found out that the title ‘czar’ is designated to non-Christian supreme rulers. If you know what I mean…
I am not against the drug testing among high school students. Hence, I was ecstatic to hear that teachers would undergo such testing also. Then, why not?!! Let’s test all teachers out there to see who are always high when they start babbling in front of the blackboards. (I highly suggest that they should start at QueSci).
And another suggestion for the ‘Antidrug Czar,’ why not start with your own government officials?! Wouldn’t it be nice to see that ALL of the government officials are non-drug users (since they always claim that they are not drug pushers).
And so, I URGE the ‘Antidrug Czar’ to conduct first a drug test to ALL public officials to prove to the Filipino society that she’s determined to wage war against drug addiction.
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Am not supposed to be writing this crap tonight. In fact, am supposed to be cramming my kid’s grades coz it’s card day on Friday. But heck. I badly need an outlet. Now back to computing grades…
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