commentaries
COVID-19 Special Issue Volume 40, Issue 4
What’s in line with online W Ina Francesca GONZALES
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The complaints circulated in various social media sites and illustrated how resorting to online methods, compelled by the government’s policy against face-to-face classes and in line with the new normal, is a romanticized yet pretentious alternative that is bound to impair the quality of education and deteriorate the academic resilience of the Philippines’ “hope of the future.”
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ith the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent new normal amidst the academic year (AY), PLM administered an alternative method to conduct the interrupted entrance exam through an Online PLMAT, which was one of the first fully-online entrance exams in the country. However, inevitable consequences surfaced as the faulty online system failed to prevent technical difficulties and heightened the odds of the applicants having easier means for entering the university without actually deserving it, exposing how an unsuccessful entrance exam may just produce a generation of students that are far behind of the excellent students that they are supposed to become and reflects how these online alternatives are just bound for eventual catastrophes. Last June 11, applicants expressed their frustrations as some claimed to have experienced difficulties during the admission test ranging from unsuccessfully logging into their accounts, inability to access several sections of the actual exam, problems in the submission and processing of the finished exam, and repeated crashing of the site during the exam which only had an allotted time for answering, albeit the university affirming to be ready in handling the surge of PLMAT takers that day. The complaints circulated in various social media sites and illustrated how resorting to online methods, compelled by the government’s policy against face-to-face classes and in line with the new normal, is a romanticized yet pretentious alternative that is bound to impair the quality of education and deteriorate the academic resilience of the Philippines’ “hope of the future." PLM’s online system for these virtual platforms is definitely imperfect, as students and faculty already experienced technical issues frequently such as defective information or document processing that usually takes extensive waiting, trouble in logging in and handling profile accounts, and ineffective dissemination of information in different formats and sources. The circumstances of technical glitches that were encountered during this exam reflected the flawed technological condition and exposed how prone to complications such as cheating, the online system is. It helped illustrate how the AY, generally, is still not ready for online alternatives of teaching and accomplishing requirements. In response to the incident, PLM decided for a re-examination of the affected applicants. The Online PLMAT, originally, was administered to cater the last two batches of examinees that were scheduled for March exams but were not able to take the physical exam due to the implementation of Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila. As explained from the press release of the official PLM page, registration was eventually opened to more applicants, which is effectively the third extension of the application period. Admittedly, PLM is one of the prestigious universities in the country that provides quality education and produces excellent students without demanding any tuition fee, attracting thousands of applicants to endeavor entering it every year. Devising an alternative method for students to be qualified in the middle of a pandemic is a percipient and considerate effort that the administration carried out for the sake of the applicants. Likewise, innovation and resourcefulness are always the answer in addressing roadblocks in any development. However, with the digital divide cutting deeper in the country’s educational system, it is evident that the pushing through the implementation of online-based learning does not equate into having quality education, especially in skill-based lessons. The mere occurrence of an unsatisfactory online entrance exam reflects how we are too distant from the privilege of actually and effectively being able to conduct online classes. The authenticity of the applicants and the students’ performance in fulfilling academic requirements, such as online quizzes or these online exams, also become questionable. It is undeniable that students utilize any means possible in order to pass the educational standards, but the core principles “Karunungan, Kaunlaran, at Kadakilaan“ that guide and build the PLM character likewise become questionable as cheating is more widely accessible with these online programs. For instance, an applicant or exam taker successfully passed the admission test through accessing other educational websites while taking the exam. Fairness is at issue as this applicant posted in a Facebook page that she admittedly clicked on other websites just to “grab the opportunity” to pass, whereas opportunities of other applicants to enter the university were hampered due to reasons that were not even their fault. The university has so far accepted 6,705 freshmen students for the AY 2020-2021. The last two batches of examinees will allow more aspiring applicants to enter the university once they pass. However, learning to think critically, to question wrongdoing and injustice, and to apply various lessons whether courserelated or not, might be irresolute if students start to view online requirements as easy-way routes to pass, especially with newfound means to condone cheating. Like what people have claimed, from cheaters come the breed of crooks and pretenders. It has only been months since officials forced to pave the way for online alternatives, to salvage what is left to prevent academic freeze no matter how students themselves beg for it. But these online means have always been a privilege and never a socially equitable idea. Students’ lack of access to the necessary devices and materials entails their inability to efficiently study, thus leaving them behind on the pursuit of the university for the quality education that it vows to provide.
ILLUSTRATION BY ASHLEY HERNANDEZ
The Official Student Publication of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
