While reading the newspaper this morning, I can’t help but marvel with my new crush, Jovie Ann Decoyna, who topped the 36, 455 passers of the November 2008 Nursing Board Exam. Nothing much is supposed to be marvelous in her exemplary performance in the board exam, except for the fact that she is an Ibaloi, and a daughter of a farmer and OFW. Just like what I felt during my undergraduate years in PNU, I was once again challenged. If this girl did, yes we can! (Obama are you in?)
However, a more intriguing issue regarding the latest Nursing Board exam is the roster of top performing schools. It appears that the not-so-advertised schools like Xavier University and Silliman University are among the top ten. Ironically, the self-proclaimed “best” schools were not included. The list provided by PDI involves schools with “100 or more examinees” and I’d like to give the nursing (business) schools the benefit of the doubt. [But is it really possible that these schools have more than 341 examinees—the number of takers from Xavier?]
***
Every time I roam around the metro, I would see gigantic billboards parading their graduates who “topped” the board, which is then followed by a highly fallacious statement: “We are no. 1.” Among the fallacy-stricken schools are the OLFU (Our Lady of Fatima University)—which has advertisements along the Novalichez area—and UERM (University of the East Ramon Magsaysay, I’m not sure if the acronym is correct)—which has an advertisement along E. Rodriguez.
Let me clarify that I have nothing against these schools, nor the graduates of these schools. I have friends who graduated from these schools who are now applying the nursing skills that they have acquired from these schools.
At the end of the day, my message is simple.
As students and future parents, let us be vigilant on choosing the school that would educate us and our children. Be cynical, if possible. Ask yourself, “Will this school really help me in bringing out the best in me? Will this school provide me with the competencies that I need when I go out in the field and work? Or will this school just profit from my tuition and other fees?”
The school is a place for exploring the world and oneself, and one thing’s for sure: If the “school” prioritizes profit over learning, that is not a school. That is a company. I know one in Laguna. Beware.
3 comments:
you may not know me sir, but i would like to comment on your blog.
it's very interesting and i can't help but smile. your words are true but i was dismayed to know that you have already left that institution. you could have been the person who could help make that company into a school.
if you wanted the cadets to learn, you shouldn't have left them and continued to help them learn.
but hey, who am i to judge your actions. i just hope that you can continue helping the cadets be good students even though you're no longer part of the "school". :)
continue inspiring them and giving them pieces of advice. :)
by the way, thank you for helping someone i know become better in English. :)
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