By Anthony A. Araos

The education sector’s contributions to the society are undoubtedly enormous. So, it isn’t hard to understand why a number of Filipinos are still asking the query: Is there really a need to put up a multipurpose gymnasium in a public school? Yes, this is being raised across the country. Yes, in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao many are asking the question.
How can proponents of having a multipurpose gym in a public school say they’re correct as in pursuing excellence inside a classroom?
I’ve learned up with some educators in Alfonso Lista, Ifugao, where helpful groups of dedicated mentors can provide insights tailored to present-day needs of learners and help find solutions to problems at hand.
Do you trust in the wisdom of their advices to constructing a multipurpose gym in a government-run learning institution? Now, I’m giving all of you a better picture of this significant matter. Not to share it is unworthy of the world. I’m too happy to share my recent engagement with teachers and students of the Sta. Maria National High School, one of the renowned high schools in Ifugao. Particularly, those identified with the school’s senior high school department.
Senior High School head Uzman Paggadut is eyeing to establish a Multipurpose Gymnasium at an appropriate site of the school. “We hope to put up the multipurpose gym to enhance our readiness to activities related to sports and many other aspects of learning,” Paggadut said in an exclusive interview. The eyed gym is just a stone’s throw away from the Alfonso Lista Central School.
I was asking the question on the school’s pressing needs repeatedly as I could. He smiled and replied: “A multipurpose gym is a wonderful gift to all stakeholders. It’s a gift of time.”
Presently, senior high students are using the outdated gym at the main section of Sta. Maria National High School, where junior high school students are holding their classes. The teaching staff had a logistical nightmare of moving the students back and forth for various activities. Thus, commenced the tedious efforts of conducting several important activities related to senior high subjects. And we are not even talking of the factors directly related to stresses experienced by concerned parties and time consumed in travelling there. That has been shown to be true in past several years. This in spite of the fact that government pronouncements say that it is all-out for the improvement of the public-school system.
The absence of the gym is making it hard for the students to concentrate on their studies. Think about it, if the plan gets a green light, expect better days ahead. This should be of great help to students, teachers and parents because they can make use of public funds judiciously.
It means a lot to me to be helpful in upgrading their conditions. They’re the next leaders of the nation. Each student is considered the hope of the modern Philippines. Then and now, I’m stressing the point that children should receive quality education so that they realize their full potentials and become productive members of society.
Would Mr. Paggadut agree to this contention? He really had no opposing view.
In many other schools here and Ifugao, gyms are inexistent. School officials’ requests for one are receiving negative replies. For me, with all the “New Philippines” program of the present dispensation, I just feel the need to add a voice to the mounting call of constructing this facility at the soonest time. Turning down a request to the officialdom- particularly, the Department of Education (DepEd) would never happen again. Thus, I’m writing a letter to Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara outlining this request.
The multipurpose gym is really a big help because by the time junior high school students are in their grades 11 and 12, or senior high school years, they are already assured of a well-equipped facility for further growing up and learning. Thus, this gym is essential. They can use that as a spring board in learning more complex lessons. This perspective that the multipurpose gym and learning competencies are intertwined can easily lead to better understanding of innovative ideas and solutions to problems faced by the education sector.
School children will have a spacious and safe gym where they can develop athletic activities and conduct physical fitness exercises. Junior and senior high school students need this even more as they prepare for college life.
It’s not too difficult to know, understand and appreciate the vitality of learning competencies- unless you’re an idiot or moron, and that’s a hope that I’m now willing to elaborate at this point of time. Learning competencies refer to concepts learned in the previous grade level that students are expected to bring to the next one. To the incoming members of the House of Representatives and Senate, we should always keep in mind the sacrifices and hard work of junior high school students and the tasks ahead of them in the last two years of their secondary schooling. There are certainly a lot of things to do and learn in the said period of time. The senior high school department of the Sta. Maria National High School has aligned itself at the forefront of this vital challenge.
For one, leadership training programs may be conducted in this venue. Such programs are important as a means of gearing toward developing leaders that can work amid generational differences in values.
Where before there were just “run-of-the-mill” public high schools to consider in the countryside, there are changes and there are public high schools of good reputation to cite. Yes, there are still some good public high schools outside of the National Capital Region (NCR). One such school has significantly impacted the lives of the young and it is the Sta. Maria National High School, earning these distinguished accolades with direct reference to its senior high school department. Thanks to its 38 teaching and 4 non-teaching staff. Mr. Paggadut’s tireless efforts is a testament of his exceptional dedication and influence as an educator. His laudable initiatives resonate with the DepEd’s shift to make quality education more accessible to all- especially the poor. There are 907 senior high school students here. Visiting the school, therefore, can help you better understand what I’m obviously emphasizing.
Yes, the future of this school is now on the hands of its stakeholders. Let’s start the ball rolling. It’s not a bad idea at all. This call for urgent steps for immediately soliciting the support of the national government for funding is a must. I will do my best to help! Likewise, civic leaders Victor Sampayan and Ferdinand Santiago are supporting this initiative. “We believe this project will be crucial in improving the quality of education,” they said.
I am confident that through this multipurpose gym, it will be able to further hone students’ confidence and competencies not just inside the classroom but also through after-hours learning. Nothing will change my full and unqualified support for the initiative of putting one at the senior high school section of Sta. Maria National High School for it shall surely change the student’s life in a meaningful way. **