Manila Today
Far Eastern University (FEU) student Keilo Acuin, or Kyl as fondly known by his peers, wrote for his Facebook description: Future RMT I guess?
However, this hopeful statement tragically foreshadowed a sad fate.
Kyl was supposed to graduate this year under Medical Technology (MedTech) program. Until one early morning, he fell to his death from a foothbridge along España cor. P. Campa St. in Manila. He was 22.
On July 17, some 40 students held a prayer vigil and lit candles to remember the day when a student like Kyl succumbed into a commercialized and repressive educational system in the Philippines.
Inefficient, burdensome workload
“We only knew each other for a year; it was the same year he joined our organization. There was one time, we were rehearsing for the band. Sometimes, we also hung out together with our other org mate who was her classmate,” shared Gillian Gregoria, a recent Med-Tech graduate and orgmate of Kyl in Delta Harmonica.
Gregoria remembered Kyl as someone who is “super confident” in his singing prowess, much like performing jazz, pop, especially original pinoy music (OPM) songs.
She also recounted several encounters when Kyl would open up about his struggles as a MedTech student.
“In our batch, a lot of students failed, as in they were just about to graduate, only the graduation ceremony was left. 85% were removed, so from 800 students, only 100 of us remained,” shared Gregoria.
She added that from 17 sections, only three were left. Gregoria was among who made the cut.
However, Kyl was among the 85% or 554 out of 658 who did not make meet the 2.20 threshold for quality point average (QPA) for MedTech program according to FEU’s retention policy.
One source who is a childhood friend of Kyl shared they have one subject after the pandemic that had the lessons compressed only in a week or two. This led to many students failing the said subject.
The source added the announcement of those who passed for the subject came late to the point that those who failed find difficulty especially in applying for retention programs or enrolling to another school to cater for their failed subject.
According to FEU’s retention policy, a student who has not met the required minimum QPA and is placed under UNRA/PNRA status may apply for the Mentorong and Educational Enrichment Training (MEET), formerly known as Summer Enrichment Program (SEP).
The MEET program is a requirement for students who wish to be retained in the University’s board programs.
Following a report from Advocate, official student publication of FEU, in 2023, the MedTech Department did not consult with the students in modifying the MEET program before it became a comprehensive examination with a 75 percent passing rate.
The said changes on MEET program now leaves students, who failed to qualify, with no choice but to either transfer to other schools or switch to programs that need not take professional board licensure examinations to complete their education.
“The system really relies more on luck. If you get lucky with your professor, you have a better chance of passing because they are more generous with lectures. The materials aren’t really generous either. The grading systems vary, the quizzes are different, some are more challenging. The lectures aren’t standardized. That’s why there are sections that pass and others that don’t,” Gregoria shared.
Hold FEU accountable
Several students who participated in the vigil lambasted the FEU administration for prioritizing the university’s ranking in the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) over the welfare of its students.
“A year has passed, but the Tamaraws continue to call for real change in this kind of education and justice for all its victims,” said Anakbayan Morayta in a statement.
Anakbayan Morayta also posted a hanged streamer as a protest in remembering the fallen Tamaraw.
National Union of Students of the Philippines NCR noted that 88% schools in the National Capital Region are private higher education institutions (PHEIs) including FEU. According to Rebecca Baliton, NUSP NCR coordinator, students in PHEIs further endure the looming threat of repressive policies like tuition hikes, restrictive standards and burdensome requirements, and several others even amidst the pandemic.
Gregorio noted that the sudden shift of learning modality through online during their first and second year have adversely impacted their education as MedTech students.
“We lacked a strong foundation in the 1st to 2nd year in terms of what we learned. Since it was online, we were more laid back because of the online setup. That became a disadvantage,” Gregorio said.
FEU Institute of Health Sciences and Nursing (IHSN) Student Council noted Kyl’s passing as a testament that mental health matters.
“As we remember this day for Keilo, we remind ourselves to be better. A better friend. A better student. A better leader. A better community. A better Institution. Attaining quality education is of utmost importance, but the process shall never compromise our overall well-being at any cost,” it added the council’s statement.
Gregorio and Baliton further emphasized the FEU administration to heed their demand for accountability.
“We call on the administration of FEU to be accountable for this tragedy and not just band-aid solutions. We also demand to resolve the roots of this continuous suffering of the students under this system. FEU needs to listen to its students and find ways to make their education meaningful,” said Gregorio.
Baliton also called on fellow students from FEU and other universities to participate in the struggle to achieve genuine academic freedom.
“While we are being burdened by this rotten education system, it is also a challenge for us, the youth, to continue working towards promoting a national, scientific, and mass-oriented education. A type of education that will push us towards serving the country, not just for test scores,” Baliton stressed.
