Enrolment obstacles: a series of ironies at Palawan State University
By John Lloyd Sabaybay | 12/11/23; originally posted 20/08/23
A new journey has started, hasn’t it?
As the academic year 2023–2024 begins at Palawan State University (PSU), a paradoxical scene unfolds that leaves both freshmen and irregular students confused. The anticipation of embarking on a journey towards higher education is flawed by the hurdles encountered during the enrolment process, which seems to be ironic with the university’s lofty vision, mission, and core values.
PSU’s vision stands tall as an “internationally recognized university that provides relevant and innovative education and research for lifelong learning and sustainable development.” However, as new students enter the campus, they are met with a disheartening reality — long lines on enrolment process, underlining an apparent shortage of manpower in such a concerned offices during enrolment and even in the College offices.
The university’s mission is the commitment to “upgrade people’s quality of life by providing education opportunities through excellent instruction, research and innovation, extension, production services, and transnational collaborations.” Yet, the series of enrolling into courses is hindered by a sluggish system. The audacity of promising excellent instruction while subjecting students to a slow and often frustrating enrolment process is evident. The happenings on the enrolment process between the mission statement casts a shadow over the relevance of education as an agent for progress.
Palawan State University’s core values, including excellence in service, quality assurance, unity in diversity, advocacy for sustainable development, leadership by example, innovation, transparency, and youth empowerment (EQUALITY), seem to be lost in the midst of the enrollment turmoil. The lines extend not only physically but also metaphorically, reflecting the disjointed nature of the enrollment experience. The values that are meant to guide the university’s actions and decisions appear to be overshadowed by the challenges faced by those they aim to serve. This has been experienced by every student enrolling in PSU yearly, yet, the progress seems not to be seen. When will this last and will the future generation still face such circumstances?
As the university community aspires for a higher standard, it is now a must to bridge the gap between the vision, mission, and values and the daily experiences of students, especially the process of where our PSU citizenship begins — enrollment. Embracing innovation to smoothen the enrolment process, ensuring sufficient resources to meet demand, and fostering an atmosphere of transparency could help transform the enrolment odyssey into a smoother, more inclusive journey.
Palawan State University has the opportunity to change this seemingly ironic situation into a lesson in progress, where the promises stated in its vision, mission, and core values reflect not only its aspiration but also its action. In this light, comes the Online Enrollment Comfortable Access System (OECAS) which was first opened on January 7 of this year. It was expected to lessen the hassles every enrollment season in a way that every student in PSU can enroll through online processes and to also access their grades on the online portal. But, as ironic PSU as it is, such a comfortable online portal seemed to be a disturbance.
That is another disheartening story to tell. Yet, it should be told.
