Written by Saintel Davith Boien N. Santiago | Photos by Lianne Pauline G. Carreon
Saint Louis University welcomed delegates from the University of Saint Louis (USL) in Tuguegarao, headed by its newly-installed President, Rev. Fr. Macwayne N. Maniwang, CICM, for a benchmarking activity centered around the One Basic Education System adapted in SLU from August, academic year 2022-2023.
The activity was conducted last 24 January 2023 at the SLU Francis Gevers Hall. Representatives of Saint Louis University led by Rev. Fr. Gilbert B. Sales, CICM (University President), Dr. Roberto M. Arguelles, PhD (Vice President for Academic Affairs), Dr. Felerina B. Ellamil, PhD (Vice President for Administration), Miss Geraldine B. Sanil (HRD Director), and Mr. Alejandro P. Pablico (Basic Education School Principal) facilitated the sharing of candid, objective, and hands-on experiences as well as the challenges regarding the implementation of the One Basic Education System in SLU.
The objective of the benchmarking activity was to help the administrators and other delegates from USL to grasp ideas and wisdom on how the One Basic Education System could be adapted in the school’s academic structure. This goal was met through the in-depth sharing of SLU representatives to their USL counterparts, the different situational encounters, adaptations, struggles being faced, as well as the successes in the implementation of the system.
Moreover, the SLU BEdS administrators composed of School Principal, Mr. Alejandro P. Pablico, Assistant to the Principal for Academics, Mrs. Lorna Lucas, and Assistant to the Principal for Student Discipline and Services, Dr. Romeo E. Javier, presented some observed best practices that they were able to use and smoothen in order to make the former three separate departments (elementary, Junior High, and Senior High), into one cohesive and integrated unit.
The benchmarking activity capped off through a clustered conversation wherein an exchange of best practices from both Universities was done. This transaction of ideas served as a preparation for possible challenges and encounters in the earlier stages of implementation of the One Basic Education System in USL, and also encouraged and assured delegates that, difficult as it may seem at the beginning, the OBE System is doable and can be successful.