A Nursing School Mess

Hole of Justice

by Peter G. Jimenea

To die with dignity!

Last semester, the UI-PHINMA nursing school was rocked by the fourth year graduating class numbering about 699. These students complained about the incorporation of their grades in Nursing Licensure Examination (NLE) to grades they obtained from legal school curriculum.

Some students have already learned about their grades from instructors and were happy to imagine they will soon be marching for graduation rites, never in mind there is still an impending problem.

It all started when one of the guardians noticed an insertion in the regular school curriculum "NLE Review" with a corresponding amount of P15,000 being charged other than the regular tuition fee. 

She wrote to CHED if this is legal as the grades in "NLE Review" shall be incorporated to students grades in subjects under the regular school curriculum that will constitute 40% of the total passing grade for graduation. The CHED replied by citing Memorandum Ord. No. 13, Series of 2006, which states;

RE: “PROHIBITING HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEIs) FROM
FORCING THEIR GRADUATES AND GRADUATING STUDENTS TO ENROLL IN THEIR OWN REVIEW CENTERS AND/OR REVIEW CENTERS OF THEIR PREFERENCE.”

Upon notice, nursing school coordinators fixed the glitches by changing the words NLE Review into – Comprehensive Enhancement Program, the same dog with different collars and the P15,000 stands. They also disclosed that the passing grade is 75% only and it will be handled by their review center of choice.

To avoid animosity with school officials, the students took the examination. But during the posting of results, nursing school coordinators increased the passing grade from 75% to 77% and this will constitute 40% of the total passing grades of the students.

School coordinators are already in the pot but jumped into the fire. They don't have the faintest idea on how much this unauthorized program cost to the students and parents involved.

Those who prepared for graduation rites exploded upon learning they failed. Many believed to have passed even on a poor score of 75 or 76 percent. Thus, the sudden increase in passing grade to 77% stirs the peace of the graduating class.

But mind you, the UI-PHINMA nursing school have made an easy money of P10,485,000 from the 699 graduating students who paid P15,000 each to their dog sporting two different collars, the NLE and CEP. But the program is yet unauthorized by CHED, so this is injustice to the students!

This is not what we think a school business is all about. The coordinators who incorporated the grades of CHED’s unrecognized program to grades of students under legal school curriculum made an impression they did it in exchange for…. you know what. 

I don't know why CHED is so silent about this controversy. Thus, it creates an impression without affirming the perception that they also cannot resist the temptation of greed. I fear this silence will earn for their office a new name departamento de los ladrones- a department of crooks!

One of the graduating students told me lately they were compelled to take the comprehensive enhancement program on the promise by coordinators that they will pass, provided, they will no longer join the others who filed a case against the school.

Taking all the equities of the students' case into consideration, this writer believes that officials of CHED Regional Office 6 in Iloilo City, are people of a respectable entity who have no balls to impose office rulings and enforce penalty.   

Out of the 699 graduating nursing students, I was informed that less than a dozen are left fighting for what they believed a just cause. I also salute these people who have still faith in justice that ubi jus ibi remedium - where there is right, there is remedy. (Gabita vs. Perez, 169 SCRA 517).


Yet, CHED officials have done nothing to protect the right of the students and to stop their taking of examination from school program unrecognized by their office. So maybe its true, que tacet concentire videtur - silence means consent! (346 SCRA 189).


This is yet to be proven. But if true, then God knows, what is somewhat missing in the empty lives of these people is...... see the title!