Guilty of Animo

If education is a privilege, then DLSU posits itself as the greatest testament to this view. Indeed, few, if any, provide the quality educational experience the University offers. Only a few get exposed to this educational experience, roughly around 17,000 in a country of almost a hundred million. Yes, unlike its counterparts in the world, DLSU was made to serve the privileged few.

The University, over its 100 year existence, has established itself as one of the premier private educational institutions in the country. Even with this in mind though, I lament at the seemingly complacent performance our current student populace exerts.

Too often do I encounter students who pass through this institution without really exerting the maximum effort they could give. I know of people, who are capable of producing great academic output, but are content with cramming their requirements and treating their classes like break times.

I know of students, who, while not really exhibiting such behavior, are still quick to give up when faced with a difficult course or subject. Many are content with getting a 1.0, or go through great lengths to weasel into an “easy 4.0” class. It is phenomena such as these that show such a waste of a good education.

Perhaps, it is merely the context from which these students come from that they exhibit such academic practices. Indeed, depending on the schools that we come from and the environment that we grew up in, we tend to develop certain attitudes towards important aspects in our life like academics.

The rich kid, for example, might take his or her education in the University for granted because he or she has been given a lot since he or she was a kid. And then there are just some students who are plainly apathetic to their surroundings.

Nevertheless, we cannot really discount the role the University itself has in a student’s declining performance. As an educational institution, the University is responsible for educating and forming its students into ideal graduates. It is the University’s role not just to educate its student academically, but also to instil certain values.

Perhaps, the University has not stressed enough the privilege that has been given to them. Perhaps, there has been a lack of effort, of making students understand what this University and its founders had to go through to give its students, its constituents, the quality education that we have now.

I grew up studying in a school run by the Lasallian Brothers. Having spent 11 years of my life there, I was constantly exposed to lessons regarding where the institution came from, who the Founder was, and what the Founder went through to establish the schools. I

I graduated from my high school, having that sense of pride and belongingness to this institution known as De La Salle, and it has really helped instil in all of us (even the unruliest ones) a sense of prestige for the education that was given to us.

Granted, the amount of time and exposure is significantly different considering that DLSU only offers tertiary education and it runs on a trimestral calendar, but even if that is the case I find it difficult to really see a substantial effort on the part of the University to educate our students about such things.

Formation for the ordinary student is limited to PERSEF, LASARE and TRED. These courses barely even mention the history of the school, let alone the life and works of the Founder. Those who are exposed to formation programs that contain such are limited to those who are active in organizations and extra-curricular activities. How can we remind students about our heritage if we are content with limiting ourselves to a very small audience?

How many people in the Univerisity actually know that St. La Salle had to turn his back on a really luxurious and comfortable lifestyle and went through hunger and sickness just to continue running the first schools? How many students actually know that the first Brothers endured hunger in the coldest of winters in Vaugirard, for the sake of the budding institution?

Many have died for these schools, and yet here we are wasting the efforts of these valiant men and women by sleeping in class and being content with submitting substandard output.

Of course, we cannot attribute a student’s failure in his or her academics just because of a lack of familiarity with the school’s heritage. Familiarity with the school’s heritage too does not guarantee excellence. An understanding, though, of what this University has gone through will give the student an idea at least of the privilege that has been given him or her.

Lasallian education is a gift that few people will get to experience. It is my hope that all who enter these hallowed walls understand the value of that gift and cherish it with all their heart.