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Academic Excellence
 
Monday around 4:00 PM this week we followed a group dressed in their Sunday best.. They came to attend the graduation of their children and wards in the Central Visayan Institute Foundation, the CVIF There is nothing unusual in this graduation except that a sizable portion of these fifty four boys and fifty four girls in the graduating class belong to the topmost secondary graduates of the country.


Without the benefit of a review, they took qualifying examinations and obtained a score, which is the envy of some of the most exclusive private schools in the Philippines. Around a third of them landed in the top rank while the best could be classified as crème de la crème of the secondary graduates of the country this year. Their scores are unbelievably high. The passing number of those who took the University of the Philippines College Acceptance Test, UPCAT, was one of the highest in the region if not of the country. What is striking is that the students come from the broad spectrum of society, from farmer families, fishermen, laborers and so on with a motorcab driver, tuba dealer, a police officer, simple folks.


The graduation mass if it may be called that, began exactly as scheduled. What was noticeable was the readings done in a polished diction in an accent neither American or English but coming from a graduate of an elite school in Manila. The service was conducted in such precision that one would think of the long hours rehearsing for this occasion. However, knowing the school, the preparation for the event would be perfunctory trusting that the discipline of the students would make the event orderly.


Of course there are goats in the graduating class. They are the ones, who passed by the skin of their teeth. But a CVIF goat knows his math, recognizes the periodic table, speak passable English and can explain how an electric transformer works. In short, he will beat any goat or even an honor student in some schools when they talk of Math, Physics and English. Any goat, who passed Dr Christopher Bernido and Dr Maria Victoria Carpio Bernido could scarcely be classified a goat outside their alma mater..


The exceptional CVIF Class 2009 is a joint success of Dr Christopher Bernido Dr Maria Victoria Carpio Bernido, the CVIF Faculty, the parents and of the students.

The Bernidos, who could demand top academic positions in any country opted to stay in the boondocks like Jagna. The parents gladly shelled out their hard earned money for the sake of educating their children in the CVIF. The CVIF instructors know how to distinguish youthful exuberance from rowdy behavior, to make room for the former and to discipline the latter. The students had worked hard, to look for other sources of information and knowledge outside the classroom and toe the line drawn by the CVIF authorities.


Now that the CVIF had reached the high degree of academic excellence, the school authorities may strive for more and that will be the reduction of goats. But still that would not be enough. In the Bohol Association of Catholic Schools meet, they excel in academic contests but the got clobbered in athletics. No CVIF honor graduate could be a Rhodes Scholar if such scholarship would be extended to the Philippines. The diamond magnate Cecil F Rhodes bequeathed a scholarship for those who not only excel in academics but also has a passable athletic record.


Then there is another goal to aim for and that is the acceptance to the Philippine Military Academy. This is perhaps a good goal for the CVIF goats. The first person, who would appreciate a high number of PMA qualifiers would be Gov Esteban Bernido, a World War II hero. No school has yet attempted to train students for passing the PMA entrance examinations. Perhaps the CVIF could try.
 


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