Academic excellence amid hardships

'Cream of the crop." This is how the City of Mandaue calls its "sci-hi" students. They are the constant achievers in academic tilts and in the field of arts. They are No. 1 in the division wide examinations, besting over 10 other national high schools in the city. They are the proud representatives of the Mandauehanons in the regional and national level showdown of wit and talent.

But the "sci-hi" students stay in a building owned by another public high school. They only have eight classrooms and a computer laboratory. The school has no principal's office, no guidance office, no faculty room, no library, no clinic, no canteen and no science laboratory.

This is the picture of Mandaue City Science High School, a public high school that was able to transcend its difficulties, and achieve academic excellence. Beginnings

Mandaue City Science High School was established in 1996 by the former science supervisor Regil Divina.

Fe Lyn Ancot, an English teacher and one of the pioneers of the school, said that MCSHS started its operations at the Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School (MCCNHS).

"There were no specific classrooms for the 'scihi' students at that time, they were made to stay only at the lobby," she said. Ancot added that the first students were from MCCNHS who were asked to raise their hands if they would like to join the new science high school.

Lucilin Suan, the current science supervisor and former principal of Mandaue Comprehensive said that at that time MCSHS became an adopted school of MCCNHS.

By 1999, the school transferred at Opao, Mandaue City. It occupied a three-story building of the Don Gerardo Llamera Ouano Memorial National High School. Marcelo Inot was the principal of the two schools. Ancot, however, said that the school this time was independent from Don Gerardo despite having the same principal. It already had teachers, mostly from other schools but were deployed to teach at the science high.

The reason why a science high school was put up in Mandaue is not clear though because those who established the school have retired, and some of its pioneers have migrated to other countries. Nevertheless, Ancot said that the school was established to give quality education to gifted students. Problems and Solutions

At present, the school is occupying the same building, with only eight classrooms. Suan said that nothing has changed because MCSHS is still a squatter at the site where they transferred.

Preciosa Mignon Campado, the guidance councilor at the same time a forth year adviser, and a Filipino teacher said "there were changes but not changes for the better but changes for the worst, in the sense that some classrooms were taken (library, canteen, faculty room etc)." This was also due to the increasing number of the students of Don Gerardo, she said.

Moreover, according to Crisenta Lotario a third year adviser and a Mathematics teacher, the lack of classrooms made it difficult for the students to conduct their experiments and researches. "Because we don't have any laboratory, students just perform their experiments on the floor. And since we don't have a library the students just do their researches at the computer laboratory, " she said.

Lotario added that since the school no longer has a library, the books that were placed in the library then are now placed at the corridors of the second years. The corridor now serves as a temporary library.

Even the school principal Rosario Casilagan, Ancot said, stays in the computer laboratory because the school does not have a principal's office.

Ancot also revealed that she only has 10 books for the 68 fourth year students. She said that she has to divide the students into groups and one book has to be shared by at least five students.

Allan Angelo Llevares, the MCSHS Supreme Student Government President, said that the lack of books has been really a problem in their studies. He, however, said that most students just try to make do with what they have and still learn in the process.

"We are trained to be resourceful that is why even if we don't have a library and a science laboratory, they are not hindrances in having quality education," said Llevares. Achievements

Though Mandaue City Science High School suffers from the lack of almost everything they need to function well as a school, including its very own building, it remains to be very competitive in the academics and the arts.

According to Infante, the school recently won in the division competition of the annual Student Technologists and Entrepreneurs of the Philippines (STEP). The school grabbed major awards in desktop publishing, homepage development, web page presentation and other computer related contests. The school also won in the recently held Parliamentary Procedures and Techno Quiz. The school will represent the Mandaue City in the regional finals and is also expected to qualify in the nationals.

Dr. Lorna E. Rances, the Division Schools Superintendent, said the school ranked first in the division wide examinations. The students were able to top it all despite the lack of the necessary things that a science high school should have.

Suan said that MCSHS always makes it to the top amidst the difficulties it faces. In the field of arts, the students have been sent to different places in the country to compete in the different festivals. Some of the students were sent to Intramuros to represent Mandaue City in the "Wow Philippines." Recently they won first place at the Bonok Bonok Festival in Surigao del Norte. They will be flying to Bacolod on October 14 to represent the city at the annual Mascara Festival. Hopes

Students and teachers of Mandaue City Science High School are still very hopeful that they will soon get the things that they have been longing for - a building they can call their own, and the facilities that they need to learn more.

And this might just come true since Ancot said that the school is expected to transfer to its own building in Ibabao, Mandaue City late this year or early next year.

Llevares said that if the school will be provided with its needs, then the students would do even better and give their best.