Filipino students demand face-to-face graduation this year, as two universities have already held face-to-face graduations that have gone viral online.

In February, the University of Saint Louis in Tuguegarao and Imus Computer College in Imus, Cavite held their face-to-face graduations, with the latter attracting a million viewers online as they recorded their commencement exercises live on their Facebook page.

The government announced in March 2020 that schools and universities would undergo remote classes, resulting in a simultaneous adjustment and change made by the educational sector, teachers, and students.

The anticipated one-week class suspension due to COVID-19 turned out to be a never-ending mental breakdown for every student, resulting in a petition for an academic break and class rescheduling. The first semester of remote classes tested teachers’ and students’ patience as they reached out to local and national governments for gadgets and other tools to help them adapt to the rules of remote classes.

Modular learning was also implemented for students who could not afford to buy gadgets or who did not have a stable internet connection at home. There were also asynchronous and synchronous classes applied. Now that it has been two years since the remote classes began, graduating Filipino students have only one request: a face-to-face graduation.

The K-12 system was established in 2012, and the first batch of K-12 students is about to complete their college degrees this year. Students are hoping that because the two mentioned universities held face-to-face classes, their school will also grant their request to attend a face-to-face graduation.

Petitions have been circulated on the internet, and they are eager to receive their diploma while walking up on stage. The remote classes, the way their adjustments and patience have been tested, their affected mental health, and their determination to graduate despite the difficulties brought on by the pandemic will only be repaid when their wish is granted. Universities are also surveying their students to see if they have been fully or partially immunized. Though some have already announced that they will have virtual graduation, the lifted restrictions and lower numbers of Filipinos who tested positive for COVID-19 give Filipino students hope that there is a small chance that they will graduate the way they were before COVID-19 hit the world.

Students will then apply for their desired jobs after graduation, and the two-year remote classes will show whether students successfully adjusted or if they still need to learn even after they receive their diplomas.

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialUSLPhilippines/photos/469631004838611