Classrooms cleaned. Desks aligned. Doors unlocked.

 

After months of construction, the long-awaited two-story temporary CNU-Alegria Campus in the southwestern town of Alegria, Cebu is now completed—gleaming white walls, six furnished and airconditioned classrooms, faculty and administrative offices, clinic, library and an audio visual room.

 

The two-story school stands ready. But the halls echo with emptiness.

 

“What is lacking at this moment is the presence of students swarming like bees in the classrooms, engaging in lively discussions with their teachers and classmates,” said CNU-Alegria Campus Director Dr. Alex Tiempo.

 

Thus, an online and onsite assessment by the Commission on Higher Education technical panel and regional quality assessment team (RQAT) is underway at Alegria Campus to evaluate the campus’ physical, administrative and academic readiness, and compliance with the commission’s policies, standards, and guidelines for the two degree programs—Bachelor of Special Needs Education and Bachelor of Early Childhood Education.

 

Both CNU President Dr. Daniel Ariaso, Sr. and Alegria Mayor Gilberto Magallon are commited to abide by and comply with all the CHED and national standards to make the campus operationalize, and to give the residents, especially the marginalized sectors, of Alegria and neighboring towns access to higher quality education.

 

To recall, CNU applied for the permit to operate and for the Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC) of the two programs for the extension campus.

 

With the operation of CNU-Alegria, Dr. Ariaso said “we can produce more educators.”

 

He mentioned that significant number of applicants, ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 per enrollment, can no longer be accommodated by the existing campuses. Thereby, CNU-Alegria is of high importance.

 

Mayor Magallon, for his part, said today’s hybrid assessment is a vital step in realizing Alegria’s dream of having CNU in the municipality and establishing an educational hub in the south.

“Education for us is important. That is our thrust,” he said.

The RQAT validators were represented onsite by Dr. Rita Tagalog, former Dean of the School of Education at the University of San Carlos; Dr. Anna Lou Cabuenas, Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University of the Visayas; and Dr. Bernard Pantonilla, CHED-7 Education Supervisor II.

 

Joining the evaluation online were Dr. Trixie Marie Sison and Dr. Maria Christine Asuncion Dequilla, CHED’s Technical Panel for Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Needs Education.

Also present virtually were CHED-7 Regional Director Dr. Maura Consolacion Cristobal, and officials from CHED Office of Programs and Standards Development.

 

Also present were CNU administrative officials, CNU-Alegria officials, and Alegria Council members and department heads and staff.

 

The building is ready. The future is waiting.

 

Padayon, CNU and Alegria!