During the previous years, the system of promoting students in elementary and secondary level was so straightforward to the extent that the learners had to suffer the consequence of repeating the same level of schooling once they failed to meet the grade point average.
Today, on one hand, the discretion of the government highlighted under the Department of Education (DepED) to promote a student, though heis not qualified to be endorsed to the next grade level or year level, is the existing rule in the country’s system on education. As an illustration, a certain student’s failure to read simple words or compute even a sole digit to another single digit number might already be a ground for his disqualification to be promoted. In lined with this scenario, there would be, for sure, a bigger problem if the school allows him to advance to the next level because the quality of education will suffer. Besides, there is no certainty that the dignity of educators will remain because their authority to evaluate and decide is already suppressed whether a particular student is competent or not. This clearly interprets that they need to promote students by all means because of the government’s irrevocable decision.
There is actually a big difference between quality and quantity and it does not mean that a big number will always be the solution in relation to this issue. What we need are dignified future leaders and not just great number of people who will just bring predicament to our economy. What we want are people who will choose to do what is right and who will apply the knowledge and right conduct as member of the society. We do not like, consequently, people who will just be dreamers with fading hopes.
We all desire to live in a more peaceful place with productive people and we can only achieve this by educating students and by molding them to become consecrated and committed to the work of excellence and there must be a provision of rights among the teachers to decide whether a learner is really qualified or not. If a student really deserves to suffer the consequence then let’s give him the chance to improve his scholastic standing because mass promotion is not really the solution to the Philippine educational system.
By: Joey R. Silva | T-III | Mariveles National Highschool – Poblacion | Mariveles, Bataan
