EDUCATION
UP rejects students', faculty's call to end semester
by Robbie Limsiaco
Posted on December 16, 2020
The University of the Philippines (UP) Board of Regents (BOR) rejected the demand of the UP community to immediately end the semester and will instead implement a 'no-fail policy' where a grade of 4.0 or 5.0 shall not be given, the UP Office of the Student Regent (OSR) announced.
Photo by Misael Bacani, UP MPRO
The petition calling to end the semester and mass promote students initiated by different constituent units across the UP System reached over 15,000 signatures from students and 274 from faculty members.
In the petition, they urged the university administration to cut the semester short and implement a passing “P” grade or drop (DRP) system to replace the numerical grading system in consideration for those who were affected by the recent calamities.
It was cited in the petition that the recent calamities affected many students especially their access to education due to the loss of electricity and internet connection, loss of livelihood, destruction of properties and homes and loss of loved ones.
"Students are being left behind due to remote learning challenges and economic limitations brought by the pandemic and recent typhoons," the OSR said in support of the petitions.
The OSR also stated that despite the calls from the UP community to end the semester, the UP BOR announced that the university will still proceed with the semester.
“The [BOR] decided to go on with the semester as scheduled, rejecting our clarion call to immediately end the semester now for the welfare of our constituency," the OSR said.
The first semester of the academic year 2020-2021 began on September 10 through a remote learning system and is due to formally end on December 19, while the end of classes is on December 9. #