NO TO COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION AMIDST PANDEMIC! FEU, CANCEL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION NOW!

Despite the ongoing health and economic crisis aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic that paralyzes and adversely affected a huge number of BSA (Bachelor of Science in Accountancy) students, the Far Eastern University mercilessly pushes through the summer comprehensive examination.

The summer comprehensive examination is intended to serve as a qualifying examination on the handbook which states that all BSA students must pass the selective requirements of IABF administered every end of the academic year. According to the latest guidelines that were released, incoming 2nd year, 3rd year, and 5th year BSA students will have a disqualification policy while only 4th year students will have none. The disqualification policy means that failure to pass the said summer comprehensive examination would lead to being disqualified on BSA and having the students shift to other programs.

A summer comprehensive examination in the midst of a worsening health and socio-economic crisis is anti-student as BSA students, along with other members of the FEU community and Filipino people as a whole, suffer intensely from the impacts brought about by the pandemic. The alarming number of over a million COVID-19 cases in the Philippines makes it nearly impossible for the students—who have been affected with loss of livelihood, displacement, and even suffer infection of the virus—to function just as normally as before the pandemic happened. Amidst all of these, students are still obligated to worry about their bombarded academic deadlines and requirements in times of great uncertainty and anxiety-inducing events that plague our country. Worse, the FEU administration totally neglected the BSA students as they did not provide early on the complete guidelines and complete coverage per subject for the comprehensive examination. For the 2nd year BSA students, for instance, they only have 2 weeks left, as of writing, before the examination takes place. As the BSA students feel more anxious as the day goes by due to the worsening pandemic and heavy workload, this was further heightened by FEU’s late announcement, failure to provide complete information and guidelines, and lack of compassion to its struggling students. FEU should remember that these are undeniably hard times; and in such bleak situations, upholding only the precepts of “pillars of strength” would not simply do anymore.

In addition, the summer comprehensive examination becomes even more anti-student when put in the current context of distance learning mode of education which highlights the inaccessibility to resources such as internet connectivity, conducive learning environment, and learning devices. Due to this, the quality, inclusive, and accessible education that the students needed cannot be sustained by this mode of learning and there are millions of students being left behind. The BSA students in FEU are not separated from the millions of students being left behind as the problems surrounding distance learning persist such as it is not feasible for the different learning styles, not everyone has stable internet connectivity, and a conducive learning environment at home. The FEU students also reported having difficulties in accessing their Canvas accounts especially when a large number of students use it all at the same time. Hence, the FEU Administration cannot 100% assure the BSA students of running the comprehensive examination smoothly when these externalities are constant threats under the distance learning mode of education. We cannot risk the welfare of a generation of students without ensuring needed requisites to make any mode of learning, inclusive and mass-oriented. If these are not met in our present situation, remote learning, especially if centered on online classes, stands to be not inclusive enough for all students.

The health and economic crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the difficulties surrounding distance learning, already are compelling evidence to heed the growing calls and sentiments of BSA students for the cancellation of Comprehensive Exams! We, the BSA students, along with the whole community of Tamaraws, cannot allow the implementation of Comprehensive Examination amidst the pandemic! We cannot sit idly while many students suffer from FEU’s anti-student policies!

Tamaraws, let us continue to amplify our calls and demands amid the pandemic! Stand united and assert our rights! 

TAMARAWS, BE BRAVE!
STAND AND FIGHT FOR THE CANCELLATION OF COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION!
FEU, HEED YOUR STUDENTS’ CALL!

#CancelComprehensiveExam2021FEU #FEUHeedOurCall