I would like to congratulate everyone who passed the recent June 2012 Nursing Licensure Exams! You deserve it whoever you are or wherever school you're from. Ang galing nyo!

I'm anticipating a full sized banner on my alma mater's Medicine Building Facade congratulating the Top Students of the Nursing Board, as well as the large chunk percentage of passers in the said exam.

Honestly, naiingit ako sa kanila...

Buti pa sila, proud ang College nila na pumasa sila...

Call me bitter, but its true. Naiinggit ako kasi nirerecognize ng college nila na pumasa sila. While I, together with my co-passers in the April 2011 Chemical Engineering Licensure examination, didn't even get a greeting from our own Faculty; Moreso from our own department.

I understand that the May 2011 Exams results were far from ideal. We failed to occupy any top spot and also only had 55 passing percentage. Still, it would have been fulfilling to be acknowledged nonetheless.

Buti nga yung November 2010 Passers, narecognize. They were called upon to provide testimonials on how they passed the board, which is a continuous project of the Chemical Engineering Society. I was there of course, to support those who will give their testimonials: Engr. Granada, Engr. Villanueva, Engr. Ramos, Engr. Abaricia, and of course, Engr. Dayao and to congratulate those who passed the board who were present.

I don't grasp the idea why there is stigma attached in passing the board in April. They say that the April exam is easier as compared to the November exam. But does this heresay constitute their right to disregard our accomplishments?

A person I idolize passed the April 2009 Chemical Engineering Licensure Examination. She brought back the bacon by bagging the the 9th highest score. But come School Year 2009-2010, virtually no one in the Faculty know that fact except those who are part of our department.

Nakakatawa! She's a member of our Faculty, yet she wasn't even recognized by mere mention of her name at the start of the first term. It was only when she was asked to take part in the testimonial that she was given the limelight. I know for a fact that our department didn't procure expenses for her congratulatory banner. I know who shelved money for it. I know because I was the one who edited the banner. (yes it's crappy I know!)

This is the first time that I would express the following statements into words so bear with me. These are my personal preparation from the the time I took my board.

When I took my board, I targeted the top. I wanted to claim the top spot for myself. That was my inspiration to study. Despite my busy schedule two months prior to the exam, I was still eager to read and review most of the topics. Please read this part for all the things that I read. I attended the testimonial so I can garner tips from the passers. I research on the fields about the members of the Board of Chemical Engineering's careers so I will have idea on what ChE technology they will focus on (epic fail). I enrolled in the refresher course despite the busy schedule; All in preparation to the top. But the exam had proven itself to be difficult (and out of this world) and as you know, I failed to take the spot, or any spots nine ranks below it. But I pride myself that at the end of the day, I was fortunate enough to pass the exam.

Putting my personal bitterness aside, I feel that acknowledging all of the passers would have been very meaningful. Some of us failed the earlier exam and retook it that April. It took them double the pressure, double the paranoia, and double the payment to pass the exam. Acknowledging them by simply saying that single word, "Congratulations", was enough to establish that sense of pride that despite of the earlier failure, they had come full circle and had reached the end of the 2nd hurdle of the Chemical Engineering journey. (the 1st one being, graduating) It is especially fulfilling if it comes from your mentors.

I only had two professors who conveyed their congratulatory greetings that summer of 2011. My thesis adviser, and my perennial Lab Professor (She was my 3 time lab teacher during the last 2 years). It is inexplicable how much those words mean to me. I am still very grateful for their words of encouragement. It is certainly one of the reasons why I want to strive harder for my career, because I believe that is the only way that I can repay them for their faith in my ability.

I know that our department is the only obstacle for our Faculty's goal to be a Center for Excellence. It is because of our department's constant failure to produce satisfactory passing percentage in the Licensure exams that hinder its realization. I recognize the change in curriculum as one of the steps to improve the current quality of education that we have in ChE in the University; But recent events made me realize that this goal of Excellence is far from reach.

During my interview for the ES instructor post, I was asked by a member of the Panel. You can read the question and my answer in this post. (this particular question inspired the question about the training camp instructor in the post) This panel member was a former professor. I really admire this professor because of his intellect; I know I'm not the only one since I share this admiration with one of my former collegues from the Central Student Council. This is why, I became more dumbfounded by his set of words:

You are there to teach, not to fail to students.

That's not in verbatim though. But that's the idea.

Ha! I'd like to hear him say that to all the Chairpersons of the different professional boards in PRC! And if he's going to say that those people are examiners and not teachers; He's barking at the wrong tree!

Part of being a teacher is performing the role of an examiner. Hence, we have major exams. If teachers are required to give passing grades to all the students regardless of their performance in these exams, why are those exams administered in the first place?

Wala. Panggatong. Pang-scratch. Pambenta, singkwenta isang papel sa junkshop.

I think that more than the revamp in the ChE Curriculum, the department should look into the reboot of teaching styles and teaching principles. Take note, these are two different things. As Principles are the objective of teaching while styles are methods of teaching. As a former student, I would like to the objective to be learning and confidence building, while the style is fun and innovative, yet brain-teasing (not brain crushing).

More importantly, they should start by recognizing their board passers. It would give a confidence boost to the passers and the next takers alike, not to mention, that sense of pride that we are graduates of...

The Department...

The Faculty...

The University...

which for the record, My pride of being a graduate from these is already at the utmost pinnacle of dissipation.

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