Every year, closing exercises, especially in public schools are hounded by controversies. If it’s not about graduation fees, it’s on the selection of honor students.
We cannot understand why these problems still crop out when the Department of Education had always made clear its policies, especially on the holding of graduation exercises.
For this year, for instance, Education Secretary Butch Abad issued DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2005 last February 28, which stipulates, among others, the following:
“No non-academic project shall be imposed as a requirement for graduation;
“Public schools are not allowed to collect any graduation fees or any kind of contribution for graduation rites;
“PTA/PTCAs may solicit voluntary contributions from their members for graduation ceremonies and celebrations. Teachers and principals should not be involved in the collection of these contributions. PTA/PTCA members should be informed about the use of any contribution for graduation;
“No extravagant special attire or extraordinary venue for the ceremonies should be required; and
“Contribution for the annual yearbook shall likewise be on a voluntary basis.”
From the order, it is clear that the kind of graduation ceremonies to be held – whether it’s simple, quite extravagant or simply festive -- is in the hands of the Parents-Teachers Association. But the problem is, although all parents of students enrolled in a school are automatic PTA members, not all of them attend its meetings. So, when an agreement has been reached on the kind of graduation ceremony to be held, as well the amount of contribution, complaints begin to mount.
Many parents want to see their children in a graduation ceremony that is solemn and memorable. After all, as one mother said, graduation is not a yearly exercise for her daughter and she would also want to make her daughter remember and enjoy it as her reward for completing her high school education.
But then again, even if other parents would want the same for their children, the economic factor sets in. In public schools, especially, many students patiently attend their classes, even if it means skipping some meals for them, just so that they can finish high school. Parents, too, despite their financial limitations, push their children to go to school, hoping that by finishing something, they would have better jobs in the future – maybe, better than scavenging or doing laundry work.
But many of them no longer attend the graduation program because they really cannot afford to buy even the barest necessities – like a pair of shoes, pants and shirt -- for the program. What about the toga rental and other incidentals?
But really, graduation programs need not be expensive. It should not burden those who really don’t have money to spare but who want to see their children march up the stage to receive their diplomas. DepEd think tanks should now sit down to come up with a standardized graduation exercises. Something simple yet memorable; festive yet solemn.
*****
Two of my young daughters attend a private school in Calasiao town. It’s called the Señor Tesoro Academy. (No, it’s not an expensive school; otherwise, I wouldn’t have enrolled them there.)
Aside from its competent faculty members, who are setting the high standard for the school, I am impressed at the way the Parents-Teachers and Community Association is run and managed. (Well, I don’t attend its meetings. With my workload, I can only find time for school activities where my two young ones are participants.)
I said it’s impressive because I have yet to hear a complaint from any parent about PTCA decisions, especially when it comes to school activities that require contributions.
Okay, I hear you -- parents there can afford to pay whatever contributions there are. But that’s completely beside the point because I have seen instances in other organizations where its members complain even if they have all the money in the world.
As I said, it is the way an organization is run that matters. Even if my wife and I do not attend its meetings, we are notified about it and we are told of the agenda that will be discussed. The notices have been in fact so detailed and polite that even if you did not attend a particular meeting, you would know what had transpired.
I guess this makes the big difference. And this sets apart the Señor Tesoro Academy PTCA above other PTCAs that I know. Properly informing the parents about school activities really makes the difference.
Oh, by the way, its president, I was told, is Simone de Vera.
ENDNOTES: Tomorrow, Bayambang begins celebrating its nine-day fiesta, in honor of its patron saint, St. Vincent Ferrer. With Mayor Leo de Vera himself as hermano mayor, this year’s celebration introduces new events, which will all be a good treat to every Bayambang resident. The Binasuan Night, for instance, revives a traditional folkdance that originated from the towns many, many years ago. Likewise, this year’s Miss Bayambang Beauty Pageant chaired by Vice Mayor Boy Ramos, promises to be a delightful show for everyone with its new choreography and presentation concepts. On the religious aspect of the fiesta, Libot na Saray Sasanto will be held for the first time, featuring all the patron saints of the towns 77 barangays.
QUOTE: Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb. -- Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)
We cannot understand why these problems still crop out when the Department of Education had always made clear its policies, especially on the holding of graduation exercises.
For this year, for instance, Education Secretary Butch Abad issued DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2005 last February 28, which stipulates, among others, the following:
“No non-academic project shall be imposed as a requirement for graduation;
“Public schools are not allowed to collect any graduation fees or any kind of contribution for graduation rites;
“PTA/PTCAs may solicit voluntary contributions from their members for graduation ceremonies and celebrations. Teachers and principals should not be involved in the collection of these contributions. PTA/PTCA members should be informed about the use of any contribution for graduation;
“No extravagant special attire or extraordinary venue for the ceremonies should be required; and
“Contribution for the annual yearbook shall likewise be on a voluntary basis.”
From the order, it is clear that the kind of graduation ceremonies to be held – whether it’s simple, quite extravagant or simply festive -- is in the hands of the Parents-Teachers Association. But the problem is, although all parents of students enrolled in a school are automatic PTA members, not all of them attend its meetings. So, when an agreement has been reached on the kind of graduation ceremony to be held, as well the amount of contribution, complaints begin to mount.
Many parents want to see their children in a graduation ceremony that is solemn and memorable. After all, as one mother said, graduation is not a yearly exercise for her daughter and she would also want to make her daughter remember and enjoy it as her reward for completing her high school education.
But then again, even if other parents would want the same for their children, the economic factor sets in. In public schools, especially, many students patiently attend their classes, even if it means skipping some meals for them, just so that they can finish high school. Parents, too, despite their financial limitations, push their children to go to school, hoping that by finishing something, they would have better jobs in the future – maybe, better than scavenging or doing laundry work.
But many of them no longer attend the graduation program because they really cannot afford to buy even the barest necessities – like a pair of shoes, pants and shirt -- for the program. What about the toga rental and other incidentals?
But really, graduation programs need not be expensive. It should not burden those who really don’t have money to spare but who want to see their children march up the stage to receive their diplomas. DepEd think tanks should now sit down to come up with a standardized graduation exercises. Something simple yet memorable; festive yet solemn.
*****
Two of my young daughters attend a private school in Calasiao town. It’s called the Señor Tesoro Academy. (No, it’s not an expensive school; otherwise, I wouldn’t have enrolled them there.)
Aside from its competent faculty members, who are setting the high standard for the school, I am impressed at the way the Parents-Teachers and Community Association is run and managed. (Well, I don’t attend its meetings. With my workload, I can only find time for school activities where my two young ones are participants.)
I said it’s impressive because I have yet to hear a complaint from any parent about PTCA decisions, especially when it comes to school activities that require contributions.
Okay, I hear you -- parents there can afford to pay whatever contributions there are. But that’s completely beside the point because I have seen instances in other organizations where its members complain even if they have all the money in the world.
As I said, it is the way an organization is run that matters. Even if my wife and I do not attend its meetings, we are notified about it and we are told of the agenda that will be discussed. The notices have been in fact so detailed and polite that even if you did not attend a particular meeting, you would know what had transpired.
I guess this makes the big difference. And this sets apart the Señor Tesoro Academy PTCA above other PTCAs that I know. Properly informing the parents about school activities really makes the difference.
Oh, by the way, its president, I was told, is Simone de Vera.
ENDNOTES: Tomorrow, Bayambang begins celebrating its nine-day fiesta, in honor of its patron saint, St. Vincent Ferrer. With Mayor Leo de Vera himself as hermano mayor, this year’s celebration introduces new events, which will all be a good treat to every Bayambang resident. The Binasuan Night, for instance, revives a traditional folkdance that originated from the towns many, many years ago. Likewise, this year’s Miss Bayambang Beauty Pageant chaired by Vice Mayor Boy Ramos, promises to be a delightful show for everyone with its new choreography and presentation concepts. On the religious aspect of the fiesta, Libot na Saray Sasanto will be held for the first time, featuring all the patron saints of the towns 77 barangays.
QUOTE: Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb. -- Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)
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