Cebu city scholars file plaint vs school

EIGHT students of Cebu Mary Immaculate College (CMIC) filed a complaint against their school before the office of Commission on Higher Education (CHED-7) last Monday.

In the letter of complaint received by CHED-7 regional director Freddie Bernal, they alleged that they were not allowed to take the examination if they can’t pay for the review of the Licensure Examination Test (LET).

The complainants also said in their letter that they are made to buy novel/book worth P500 if they are absent or tardy and they cannot take the examination if they will not.

Two of the complainants yesterday met with Bernal and they asked for help as they were not able to take their first day of final examination.

Cebu Daily News is withholding the students’ name to protect their identity.

The 19-year-old fourth year education student was not able to take three subjects yesterday while the other complainant, also a 20-year-old fourth year education student, was not able to take two subjects yesterday.

She brought a novel yesterday titled “The Borgia King”.

“This (novel) was among the novels I bought before and during the semi finals but still I was not able to take the examinations for our nine subjects,” she said.

The novels are not related to any subjects they enrolled for the semester.

“After checking, she will return it to us,” the student said referring to Dr. Montana Phua, CMIC’s dean for the College of Education.

She added this policy is also imposed on the first and second year students.

The two education students are both Cebu City scholars.

“Our scholarship is enough for our tuition fee and those novels, which are not related to our enrolled subjects, are expensive. My mother is a plain housewife while my father earns money as a mini bus conductor,” the 19-year-old student said.

The students also complain that Phua requires them to attend a session with her every Monday and Saturday and failure to attend means they cannot take the examinations.

They said they have to be absent in their other classes to attend Phua’s session and it affected their grades.

Reporters tried to get the side of the school but a female staff who introduced herself as Jane said that Phua was not in the office.

CMIC is a family-owned school in Cebu City and it has complied with all the required documents.

Bernal said they will verify the complaint and ask the school administration to answer the accusations against them as soon as possible.

He added it is not allowed that you compel students to take review classes. There’s a law that after graduating, you have the option where to take review classes.

Bernal also tried to communicate with Phua via phone call yesterday but she did not answer.

Bernal has sent his staff yesterday to personally see Phua and discuss the concern of the students who failed to take their final exams.

On the other hand, Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon wants the students to see him so he can help them with the predicament.

Dizon chairs the council’s committee on education.

He also wants them to furnish him a copy of the complaint so he can call the attention of the school and invite the management for an executive session.

He added the Cebu city government should look deeper into the issue and get more details about it.