Cebu Normal University (CNU) has adopted a unique modification to the mass promotion concept as it announced the ending of the current school semester through its Strategic Action amid Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Modified Academic Plan (MAP).

Read related article: [CNU decides to end the current school semester]
    
“None of the students will be declared failed this semester, however, they are given the chance to comply [with their] academic requirements for one year,” Dr. Daisy Palompon, Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) said.

“Faculty members can opt to use the midterm rating as basis for the final rating,” Palompon said as stated in the MAP for undergraduate and graduate studies.

Alternative assessments and home-based tasks given by the teachers can also be used in the computation of grades for all students.

Read: [CNU Strategic Actions Amid COVID-19]

“Students need to have a report of rating at the end of the semester since this will have implications for their qualification in their future employment; moreover, there are students who are also aspiring for honors or are currently having their scholarships which require ratings as basis for the continuation of their privileges as scholars,” Palompon said. 

“In [the usual] mass promotion, teachers will only report PASSED in the end-of-semester academic report of the students,” she said. 

According to Mr. Elvin Ruiz, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) faculty, ending the semester and having students comply with certain requirements instead of mass promoting students is the most appropriate decision.

“While mass promotion is democratic, it may not be fair,” he said. 

He said that the students’ midterm grade must be taken into consideration especially for those students who did their level best in their academic subjects.  

Ruiz said that students also have to understand that just because mass promotion was not done, does not mean their demands were not heard or understood.

“The Admin sought to look for the most appropriate course of action that will not only benefit the students but also the entire CNU community and its stakeholders,” he said. 

Ms. Sheena Marie Lopez, a Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education (BTLEd) 2 student said that the given one year period for students to comply with the academic requirements is agreeable especially for those who are having a hard time accessing the internet to catch up with the submission of requirements.

She said that some students have parents who are on no work, no pay arrangement and are severely affected by the health crisis. She said that she would rather spend on food than buy load for internet connection. She said that not all students even have smartphones and may be left behind in submitting class activities.  

Lopez said that as a student, it is still necessary to submit requirements to make up for their final grade. She said that she will conform with the decisions of her professors, but she hopes that the teachers would be considerate with the happenings brought by the pandemic. 

“We are compassionate especially amidst tribulations, but uncompromising in our pursuit for excellence,” Ruiz said. (JDF)