Graduation Kunohai – Aligutgut sa usa ka graduado nga Tiknoy


Graduation Kunohai or gimmick kumbaga ang akong istorya karon kay usa sab ni sa akong mga aligutgut sa aning eskwelahana.

When Chip Tsao, the Hongkong columnist caused a stir in our country by broadcasting to the whole world that his Filipino domestic helper who “cleans his toilet and washes his windows”, is a degree holder of International Politics from the University of Manila?

Now on to the ceremony or pre-ceremony. As I recall and compare my high school and college graduation, the ceremony standards are world’s apart. In my high school, we practiced a week just for the graduation ceremony while in college, we did it in 1 and ½ days. In high school we didn’t dress or wear a toga, we simply wore our uniform which is a barong type design with blue pants. It was not only comfortable but professional as well. The ceremony took almost half a day or almost 5 hours with mass, tribute and ceremony. We congratulated our teachers after the ceremony and even our director at the time re-congratulated us after the ceremony.

Fast forward to college again, it was weird, foreign and in some ways degrading somewhat. Yes, I was happy that I finally finished my degree but at the back of my mind, a little disturbed. Practicing for 1 and ½ days..do you expect something to go wrong? What does this imply of the school standards?

Medals honor achievement. It is also a healthy form of incentive, encouraging competition and excellence among students. But the disturbing thing was that only those who had achievements were the only ones whose parents were allowed to come to stage with their sons/daughters to receive the diploma. What of those students’ who were struggling and yet was able to graduate? And what of those parents who came from cebu province and for those who come from other visayan islands and were simply instructed to stay on the bleachers and watch?

Poor parents. Most of all, poor students. While the president and other so-called officials were congratulating the students, I wondered, CONGRATULATIONS FOR WHAT?? You congratulated them for being in your school, for paying tuition fees and whatnot? It’s not a graduation, it’s a send off. If your course has no board exam they couldn’t care less, I’d say. The deans/department heads have more right to be on stage for they were witness to our struggles and challenges while we were in college. But we ended up like a line assembly who just took the diploma, shook hands to people we met for the first time and back to their seats, that’s it. Most of my batch mates didn’t even know the batch song (even I didn’t know) and most for most of the ceremony we were restless and noisy (complaining about the song, the heat and the ceremony itself). It’s sad simply sad.

Although I have forgotten where I placed my high school graduation pics, I will describe the ceremony nalang:
We don’t have a toga attire, it is hot and uncomfortable (parents can save from renting one); We practiced to instill discipline to show to our parents and also display the school’s values; I can say we were fairly disciplined and dignified. The diplomas are uniformly held by the left hand (or was it the right hand?) with both arms at the sides. It was a simple ceremony (Mass, message of thanks from the school director, message from the batch president, our teachers). A student receives his diploma with one or two parents and express gratitude and respect. The backdrop was a simple description with school logo and the Philippine Flag. For some students while singing the graduation song on stage had tears streaming down their cheeks, others were obviously holding them back and I was a bit teary eyed.

Here in the Philippines, I don’t know about other schools but some if not most Filipino graduates can’t wait for the ceremony to finish so they can enjoy their party (being the cam-whore that I was, well I looked for my friends and teachers and had a photo-op with them and gave thanks of course-almost 1hour after the ceremony). I don’t know how other schools do their graduation but I hope they at least make it worthwhile for the parents.

Kamu mga tiknoy? Sugut mo na dalidalion inyung pag graduate aron maka save daw sa oras para makakaon mog sayo?
Graduation Kunohai – Aligutgut sa usa ka graduado nga Tiknoy Graduation Kunohai – Aligutgut sa usa ka graduado nga Tiknoy Reviewed by Vernon Joseph Go on Sunday, November 08, 2009 Rating: 5

3 comments

  1. "Kamu mga tiknoy? Sugut mo na dalidalion inyung pag graduate aron maka save daw sa oras para makakaon mog sayo?"

    Kay walay bayad sa ila ang OT.. haha...

    Our graduation day was easier than ever!

    I can safely say, I will never enroll my kids there again! I don't want them to experience the same insanity and weirdness that we have..

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  2. Agree with the comment up there... CIT is passive!!

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  3. @CIT Sucks..the reason why I enroll there becuz of the heavy training the teachers provide. CIT is lucky to have good teachers who innovate and do more than what they have to provide good training for students that is why CIT Tops AGAIN..

    @Ringostar passive indeed but I would'nt say I wont enroll my child in the future (As if I have a child) I would enroll them, get them some exposure there and then transfer and let them graduate in another school ahahaha

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