Filipino Twitter users call for easy access to quality education in the PH

With the academic year 2022-2023 fast approaching, the University of the Philippines (UP) has opened its doors to welcome its new batch of Iskos and Iskas into the premier institution.

On May 31, 2022, Tuesday, the country’s national university released the results of the UP College Applications (UPCA) 2022. With over 100,000 applicants, less than 15,000 were accepted into the institution.

And while some took to social media to share the good news and express their excitement, many people were disappointed and pointed out how unfair the admission system is.

quality education, UPCAT, education system
via Twitter

Other users on Twitter were also divided about whether to bring back UP College Admissions Test (UPCAT) instead, arguing that this would thoroughly screen those who are qualified to enter UP. But some argued that the entrance examination still puts some students at a disadvantage.

In 2021, UP announced that it would not administer UPCAT for the second time due to the ongoing pandemic.

via Twitter
via Twitter
via Twitter
via Twitter
via Twitter
via Twitter
via Twitter
via Twitter

On one hand, others tweeted that this kind of admission hinders students’ access to quality education.

In a thread, user @ajay_lagrimas said that “neither [the student’s] intellectual or financial capability” shouldn’t be the basis for having access to quality education as others who wanted to pursue college deserved it as well. He then continued to explain that he understood UP’s reasons for doing such kind of admission, and the thousands of students who wanted to enter the premier university.

Ajay then called upon the government to “prioritize education over inutile projects” by properly funding UP and supporting state universities and colleges (SUCs), particularly in the provinces, to generate programs that focus on Centers of Excellence and Development.

“In the end, we can’t attain free and quality education if our educ[ation] system remains commercialized, colonial, and anti-democratic,” Ajay tweeted.

He then urged to fight “for a national, scientific, and mass-oriented education” that does not only produce students that can help in nation building, but a quality education that can also be accessed easily and freely with no “payment nor justification” needed.

 

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