HEFTY WIT

appears to compromise more than it could potentially offer in terms of financial relief. If we consider school uniforms as the binding agent that maintains the structural integrity of a school environment, just like the walls of a house, removing them could lead to unforeseen complications.

Research supports this analogy, showing that the removal of school uniforms correlates with an increase in discipline problems and a decrease in students’ focus on academics.

My schoolmates and I complain about our strict uniform policy. However, as time went on, I noticed that we grew to appreciate it. We felt a strong sense of unity and pride in our school community—something that casual clothes wouldn’t have given us.

Thus, the uniform policy isn’t just about tradition but also about upholding a safe and focused learning environment for students. In contrast, the no-uniform policy seems to overlook these benefits in its pursuit of easing economic strains.

There are alternative ways to address financial hardships without compromising student safety and unity. For instance, the government could intervene by providing free uniforms to economically disadvantaged students.

I urge everyone to take a moment and weigh the long-term implications of these policies. After all, our actions today will shape the future of our youth and, consequently, our nation.

Is Our Health Worth the Heat?

JASMINE AGUAS

The scorching heat, a relentless opponent, is currently battling with the students and teachers of Eulogio Rodriguez Junior High School (ERJHS) due to a school calendar that seems to have declared war on comfort and health.

Imagine being confined to a room and trying to focus on learning or teaching while the merciless heatwave outside seeps through the walls. A predicament faced by students and educators alike at ERJHS since the onset of the pandemic changed our school calendar, forcing school sessions into the fiery grip of summer. Is a calendar change worth the health risks and discomfort?

Post-pandemic, the school calendar, once stretching from June to May, has been squeezed to start in August and end in July. This shift has not only robbed the teachers and students of their two-month vacation but also plunged them into the simmering pot of the Philippine summer. Remember when the school bell signaled the beginning of a summer holiday? Those were the days when our schedule started in June and ended in April or May, offering a reprieve from the heat, a luxury we no longer possess.

It’s time to revert to the old school calendar.

Just like swimming upstream, it’s arduous and challenging but necessary for survival, just as salmon do.

Consider the rising cases of heat-related ailments among our staff and students. Richie Macatangay, a Filipino teacher at ERJHS, reports instances of hypertension, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke. A grim testament to the unforeseen consequences of the calendar change.

As a student here at ERJHS, I remember the relief that a cool classroom brought, helping young minds concentrate. It’s distressing to see that replaced with classrooms mirroring the heat outside.

This brings us back to our initial question: is the changed calendar worth the ensuing health issues and discomfort? Judging by the evidence, the answer is a resounding “no.’

It’s time for action. Gradual steps towards our old calendar will eventually lead us out of the heat.

I need you to support this proposition. Together, let’s turn the tide and reclaim the learning environment we once enjoyed.

By ZUYI RADAM & JOHN ROI BLAS

Life isn’t as easy as it seems.

One moment, we are in the highest of the high. And in another, we’re at the lowest of the lows. It is one hell of a rollercoaster ride. The pandemic, in many ways, has impacted students all around the globe to suffer problems deeper than just the virus.

During online classes, students had almost no social interaction with each other. And according to the Kentucky Counseling Center (KCC), it led to feelings of loneliness, lack of motivation, and isolation.

E-classes were necessary at the time to continue learning during the peak of the pandemic, but physical learning is still pushed and desired by many, not only by teachers but students as well.

“While I’ve had some hiccups adjusting back to face-to-face [learning], as it wasn’t easy after two years of online classes, I can say that reverting to the traditional learning methods helped me academically, socially, and mentally,” says John Roi Blas, a transferee student in ERJHS, regarding the current in-person situation in his school.

He explained that online classes were needed at the time, but now that physical learning is doable for students, it shows much more advantages than online learning. He also mentioned the setbacks of the summer heat and congestion of students but still believes that the government and school administrators could find ways to enhance the current setup for the comfort of students and teachers.

Life is too short to be caved inside our own reality. The world is your oyster. There are many things left to be enjoyed, opportunities to grab, and beauties to be admired. We all have a life to live.