BUCET has become more than just an entrance exam. It has now evolved into a game of uncertainty for aspiring BUeรฑos to enter a university that strives to maintain its reputation of being the premier state university in Bicol Region. The test no longer sees potential but is now a parameter of accessibility, opportunity, and survival in a system where the demand far outweighs the supply.
But while BU continues to flaunt its increasing number of board exam topnotchers and its high standards for admission, there is a different reality inside the classrooms. Students who were able to pass the narrowing gates of BU often find themselves disenchanted by worn out facilities, faculty with limited qualifications, and a curriculum that seems to be left far behind by modernity. Excellence in name alone is not enough; a university must invest in the very core of what it stands forโquality education.
One of the most disheartening realities this year is that even with a high composite rating, your place in the institution is not guaranteed. The only thing that somehow assures aspirants of their standing has now become more opaque and uncertain. The common belief used to be: "If you do well, youโll get in." But today, even with strong grades, a competitive BUCET score, and excellent extracurriculars, admission is no longer guaranteed.
What message are we sending to the youth when we raise the bar for entry but do not provide an environment that fosters growth after admission? This increasing disparity between entrance selectivity and educational quality perpetrates a system that filters student potential but does very little to nurture it.
Moreover, the pressure to pass BUCET has intensified stress levels among high school students. In provinces where quality preparatory resources are scarce, this shift favors those who can afford review centers or private schoolingโfurther widening the gap between the privileged and the underprivileged.
Bicol University must confront this uncomfortable truth: prestige without substance is hollow. It must ensure that with rising academic standards comes a learning environment inclusive of faculty support and infrastructure rise. The true essence of being a premier university is not how difficult it is to get in but how well it shapes the lives of those who do.
As we applaud the successful BUCET passers and console those who did not make the cut, let us also demand more from our institutions. For a university that carries the peopleโs trust and future on its shoulders, good enough is no longer enough.
via Gerald Sopenia, Associate Editor
Layout by Rens Fernandez, Layout Editor & Justin Salvatierra, Unibรช Artist
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