hillary fajutagana,
Have you ever felt so hungry and you wanted to buy food outside but you can’t because you still have something to do in school? Or have you ever had to do school requirements outside but you can’t because you will no longer be allowed back in campus once you leave?
Everyday, for these and other reasons, some students are faced with this dilemma. Many of them ask, “Why aren’t we allowed to return to school once we have left?”
First, we have to understand the rule in its entirety. The policy on Dismissal Time is in the Code of Conduct for Faculty, Staff, Parents and Students which is usually given at the start of the school year and also printed in the UPIS Handbook. The Code of Conduct states that “students should stay within the campus until they are picked up by authorized person/s.” In fact, students should have been picked up or should have gone home 30 minutes after dismissal time because loitering in the campus is not allowed. Therefore, students who leave the school premises at the end of the school day are no longer allowed to re-enter the premises because it is expected that they are on the way home.
According to UPIS Principal Dr. Ronaldo San Jose, this policy has been in effect since 2013 but perhaps students feel it now more than before because of the strict implementation. This no-returning policy is most strongly felt by varsity players who have to jog at the Academic Oval as part of late afternoon training or by students who are dismissed early and prefer to buy food or do requirements outside school.
This policy is made to ensure the safety of everyone at UPIS and is implemented to prevent incidents which can be caused by letting the students in and out of school at their own leisure. For example, if rules on dismissal were loose, there is a possibility of bringing in non-UPIS people or prohibited substances which can then be a security concern. Since the school is responsible for the students while they are in the premises, UPIS may be held liable for such incidences. This policy is for the welfare of both students and the school.
In the first place, why would students want to leave the campus, only to come back?
As mentioned, one common reason is doing requirements or buying materials which can only be done outside school. However, it is expected that students are responsible enough to have done requirements and have bought materials before going to school.
Another reason is that varsity players sometimes have to go outside of school premises for training. Many have training outside of school but they have to come back to train inside as well. They are having a hard time since almost every school day, they have to get a gate pass if they want to train outside and come back to school again. This gate pass can only be issued for valid reasons and should be signed by the student’s Adviser, Grade Level Coordinator, Assistant Principal, or Principal. One possible solution for this is to give the guard a roster of varsity players who are training in school. Another is to assign special IDs or long term gate passes for the student athletes who frequently have to go in and out of school. But, should this be implemented, students should not abuse it and use it only for official reasons.
But most students who complain about the policy cite that the main reason for going out of campus is to buy food. Lately, probably due to the additional amount of students this year, canteen food is sold out even before lunch time ends. So some students, who go home at a much later time, cannot buy from the canteen after dismissal because it is already closed by then. To solve this, students could bring their own lunch or snacks to school, but since not everyone practices that, the canteen could provide enough to serve everyone and be open until 5 PM when all classes are dismissed. If so, students will have no reason to want to leave campus to buy food.
The students’ sentiments are acknowledged but they must understand that these rules were developed for a reason. They were made in the spirit of ensuring the safety of students and to prevent the unfortunate occurrences that have happened before. Even if students are issued a gate pass, they need to understand that the person who signs the pass is accountable should anything happen to him/her. Therefore, there must be a legitimate reason for leaving the premises before dismissal or returning after dismissal.
The policy is reasonable but its implementation must also be consistent. Some students are still allowed to return to school even if they do not have a gate pass but some need to have one to be allowed re-entry. To address this confusion, the rule on leaving and re-entering campus should be clear to everyone. Granted that it is partly the students fault for not being totally aware, the information must be properly disseminated for them to completely understand. Perhaps a notice can be put up near the guard house where all students can see it. They can also be reminded during homeroom.
To conclude, the policy of not allowing students to return after they have left the UPIS campus is reasonable and valid. Its goal is to ensure the security and safety of the students. Students have to be reminded of the exact guidelines and it is expected of students to follow. However, it is hoped that the school also addresses the students’ concerns regarding its implementation. A reasonable compromise that will be respected must be reached.
Opinion: The Point of No Return
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| (c) Jem Torrecampo |
Have you ever felt so hungry and you wanted to buy food outside but you can’t because you still have something to do in school? Or have you ever had to do school requirements outside but you can’t because you will no longer be allowed back in campus once you leave?
Everyday, for these and other reasons, some students are faced with this dilemma. Many of them ask, “Why aren’t we allowed to return to school once we have left?”
First, we have to understand the rule in its entirety. The policy on Dismissal Time is in the Code of Conduct for Faculty, Staff, Parents and Students which is usually given at the start of the school year and also printed in the UPIS Handbook. The Code of Conduct states that “students should stay within the campus until they are picked up by authorized person/s.” In fact, students should have been picked up or should have gone home 30 minutes after dismissal time because loitering in the campus is not allowed. Therefore, students who leave the school premises at the end of the school day are no longer allowed to re-enter the premises because it is expected that they are on the way home.
According to UPIS Principal Dr. Ronaldo San Jose, this policy has been in effect since 2013 but perhaps students feel it now more than before because of the strict implementation. This no-returning policy is most strongly felt by varsity players who have to jog at the Academic Oval as part of late afternoon training or by students who are dismissed early and prefer to buy food or do requirements outside school.
This policy is made to ensure the safety of everyone at UPIS and is implemented to prevent incidents which can be caused by letting the students in and out of school at their own leisure. For example, if rules on dismissal were loose, there is a possibility of bringing in non-UPIS people or prohibited substances which can then be a security concern. Since the school is responsible for the students while they are in the premises, UPIS may be held liable for such incidences. This policy is for the welfare of both students and the school.
In the first place, why would students want to leave the campus, only to come back?
As mentioned, one common reason is doing requirements or buying materials which can only be done outside school. However, it is expected that students are responsible enough to have done requirements and have bought materials before going to school.
Another reason is that varsity players sometimes have to go outside of school premises for training. Many have training outside of school but they have to come back to train inside as well. They are having a hard time since almost every school day, they have to get a gate pass if they want to train outside and come back to school again. This gate pass can only be issued for valid reasons and should be signed by the student’s Adviser, Grade Level Coordinator, Assistant Principal, or Principal. One possible solution for this is to give the guard a roster of varsity players who are training in school. Another is to assign special IDs or long term gate passes for the student athletes who frequently have to go in and out of school. But, should this be implemented, students should not abuse it and use it only for official reasons.
But most students who complain about the policy cite that the main reason for going out of campus is to buy food. Lately, probably due to the additional amount of students this year, canteen food is sold out even before lunch time ends. So some students, who go home at a much later time, cannot buy from the canteen after dismissal because it is already closed by then. To solve this, students could bring their own lunch or snacks to school, but since not everyone practices that, the canteen could provide enough to serve everyone and be open until 5 PM when all classes are dismissed. If so, students will have no reason to want to leave campus to buy food.
The students’ sentiments are acknowledged but they must understand that these rules were developed for a reason. They were made in the spirit of ensuring the safety of students and to prevent the unfortunate occurrences that have happened before. Even if students are issued a gate pass, they need to understand that the person who signs the pass is accountable should anything happen to him/her. Therefore, there must be a legitimate reason for leaving the premises before dismissal or returning after dismissal.
The policy is reasonable but its implementation must also be consistent. Some students are still allowed to return to school even if they do not have a gate pass but some need to have one to be allowed re-entry. To address this confusion, the rule on leaving and re-entering campus should be clear to everyone. Granted that it is partly the students fault for not being totally aware, the information must be properly disseminated for them to completely understand. Perhaps a notice can be put up near the guard house where all students can see it. They can also be reminded during homeroom.
To conclude, the policy of not allowing students to return after they have left the UPIS campus is reasonable and valid. Its goal is to ensure the security and safety of the students. Students have to be reminded of the exact guidelines and it is expected of students to follow. However, it is hoped that the school also addresses the students’ concerns regarding its implementation. A reasonable compromise that will be respected must be reached.
// by Hillary Fajutagana
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