Dear Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea and administration of Mapúa Schools,

The Malayan and Mapúan Community would like to express our discontent with the administration's decision of continuing the Online Classroom activities that hinder quality education as the lifeblood of a Malayan and Mapúan Education. We wish for the continuous understanding of all One Malayan Schools that we students aim for the quality education that is in our roots/DNA. However, the current methods by which the online learning alternative to face to face classes that are implemented seem to be not effective and counter-intuitive that hinders a lot of aspect in unlocking the potential in each and every one of us.

• Hindering Intuitive Interaction

Online classes are not intuitive like what we have in a classroom environment where the professors are able to interact and deliver the lecture in a new and innovative way. There's a moment of interaction gap where the professors are really trying hard to interact to students however the students would respond instead via messaging on BB Collaborate. The aim of having a class where all attendees are on video, and on mic to fully have a cooperative and an interactive class are non-existent in this type of learning environment. Part of the lack of interaction is because of our culture with technology itself.

• Not Every Malayan / Mapúan can Adapt to an Online Classroom Environment

The way how online classes are implemented is not always for the tastes of every Mapúan or Malayan Student. Some are having a hard time focusing just to keep pace to their classes online. While the institutions provided an Extended Learning Period. Would it be better if all of us in the Community Learned in the same pace that does not hinder our potentials? We can add to that the current Pandemic that is happening in our society, The Worries, the Doubts and Anxiety that some students might experience during this time of crises may shift their attention in focusing in their respective classes.

• Lack of Internet Bandwidth / Lack of Internet Connection

While the landscape of Internet speed here in the Philippines are constantly improving, not all Filipinos still consider internet as a basic necessity more of like a cable add on. But with the enhanced community quarantine, Many Filipino Families have fully utilized the capabilities of the internet. However, it is greatly needed to consider that the way of how the internet is delivered to each and every one of us is not the same resulting in inconsistency that results to almost only half of the class would attend. Imagine a scenario where a family have a cable Subscription of 20 Mbps (That's only download) and and upload of less than 3 Mbps, this is a common scenario with Filipino ISP's. Imagine that being split to a family of 4 which is the average Filipino family size, and assume the Work from home that some student's parents use VoIP Software from their work and simply the bandwidth isn't enough. Add the fact that some use shared computer access. And Let us not forget that some so called reseller ISP's where they only peer with larger ISP's which really have Fiber backbones in our country like PLDT, GLOBE, Converge, Telstra and etc, doesn't manage their bandwidth correctly resulting in further congestion in each of the Reseller ISP's Connection. One example of which is Royal Cable that is experiencing a lot of Intermittent Connection during the ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine). We have a fellow student who has only a speed of 10% of the advertised speed by their ISP and this person is on fiber (Reseller ISP). Another to add, some of us went home to our families in the rural area where internet access (high speed stable) isn't yet available. We Excel in technology as One Mapúa and One Malayan Students and we would like to embrace the 21st Century Learning Opportunities that this platform may provide us but this limitation itself (which is not in our control) hinders what we can do to unlock our potentials in this type of learning environment.

• Unfair to some

The way that One Malayan Schools implement the Online Classes gives a clear disadvantage to those having difficulties accessing the internet itself.

Source: Mapúa

Source: Malayan Colleges Laguna

Both Schools would offer an Extended Learning Period where people with slow to none internet speed would be able to resume their studies which would receive better education than those who finished a course online. This is not yet accounting for the time that was wasted. While it is good that we as students are enticed to continue our learning experience as we brace ourselves in the pandemic. As said again, not all students can focus while a pandemic is ongoing which would be unfair to some. It is unfair if those who would receive an IP (In-Progress Mark) would be able to Resume regular classes during the Extended Learning Period. Some students may also have plans during the Midyear Term or have planned different course loads which may hinder focus to their core studies as a One Malayan community. That's not hiding the fact that the Tuition and Miscellaneous fees seem to be unfair if these type of delivery would be continued. NSTP Fees? Laboratory Fees? And Tuition Fees? how is that going to work online?

We understand ,as part of the One Mapúan and One Malayan Community, that these days while we are on an Enhanced Community Quarantine is tough times both socially and physically. We are one in the engagement of 21st Century Learning but the Mapúa Schools (Mapúa University, MCL and MCM) Administration must also consider their students and adjust to them accordingly. For now only the students were adjusting to this situations, its time for our Schools to adjust as well. We hope for good health specially to our dearest front liners, dearest health-workers, The Administrator, The Faculty and to the One Mapúa/One Malayan Community itself. We hope our sentiments are answered and that the Community (Malayan and/or Mapúa) would be able to come up with a proactive approach that adapts in convergence with it's students.

As one with the One Malayan Community of Excellence embedded in our DNA. We hope that you'll understand us as students of your humble institution. We respect and give pride to our Alma matter, but we need to stand together bringing the name of our schools forward. We think that this move isn't right and/or enough for what we aim to excel and limits what we can do to unlock our potentials. So we hope for your cooperation and appreciate you on listening to our sentiments of stopping the Online Classes being executed and instead lets focus on a long term goal that allows both students, teachers, faculty and the institution itself to better give pride to the Malayan and Mapúan Name.

Lets All Stand together as one Community during these times of crisis.

Sincerely,

Malayan and Mapúan Students

 

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