DISTINCTIVE CULTURE OF APEC SCHOOLS
Written by: Gabrielle Ylizza Mariz A.Tan
“As far as I know, this was established through a partnership between Ayala Corporation and Pearson,” said Sir Ziegrey Balota, one of the master teachers of APEC Schools Muntinlupa when asked about how did APEC Schools were established.
APEC Schools offer an affordable quality education for both junior and senior high school students. Thus, it’s name APEC that stands for Affordable Private Education Center.
“In 2012, they started in Emilio Aguinaldo College in Manila. It’s composed of a single classroom only, with I don’t know the exact number of students, but there were students; they were like the pilot students or should we say experiment students that they used on how is it going to work.” Sir Ziegrey added. Because of the potential they have seen from it, this one classroom multiplied into a lot of branches nationwide. In 2013, they decided to start APEC Schools mostly in areas of Manila and Quezon City. It was then extended to Muntinlupa last 2015.
APEC Schools isn’t just known for its affordability but also known for its distinct culture. The uniqueness of it establishes culture not only of the school, but for the students’ character and discipline as well. One of the cultures that the school solely focused on is training the students to not just be good at their academics but also to realized good behaviors and values.
“I also like the separation of academics to values. Because when I was in high school, my grades in all subjects has already my grade in values integrated with it. What my teachers did before is If I was about to fail a subject, they will pull it up through my values just for me to pass. So, It’s not nice, and we’re not really sure if the student really has a good attitude” Ms. Patricia Eco, one of the Learning Facilitators, as she shared her thoughts about APEC’s culture. She also stated, “Students are being challenged, If you’re really good in academics, you’re so smart that you have high scores in your assessments and term tests, you should also have a proper attitude because that should be the first one you have to improve on.”. Ms. Patricia Eco is a math Learning Facilitator who has been teaching in the school since it started.
Aside from this, APEC also promotes the English Only Policy wherein every students are encouraged to speak in English confidently and spontaneously. Learning Facilitators (LFs) also emboldens students to exercise grit for this matter; never giving up, abiding to one of the core values known in APEC as the school believe that it will hone the students to be efficient and competent individuals when they get to college or upon employment.
“You are trained to speak in English, not really because you’re required to, but because it gives you confidence.” Sir Zeig also stated his insight about English Only Policy.
Graduates of Senior high school students of APEC Muntinlupa can testify how this specific culture of APEC helped them in their interviews upon entering college and some, for employment. According to some of the graduates, it isn’t just EOP which helped them get in their desired university but also the way of how they were edified in APEC Muntinlupa.
Integrity is also utilized in APEC Schools. Learning facilitator practice zero tolerance in all honesty, no one accepts favors or gifts from the parents just for their children to pass a subject. “If you’re grade is really low and you fail, parents can’t pay us to pass them. The grades will remain as is from what is computed” Ms. Eco stated, “I really witnessed that. How Integrity is really applied in APEC”.
Aside from the dissimilitude that we have with other schools, we couldn’t be exempted for some things to be improved. One can say that APEC Muntinlupa exemplifies in its execution of its culture but some of it still needs refinement. One of these is, it seldom promotes extracurricular activities, for most of the sites lack the facilities to cater this kind of events. It does not have a gymnasium or the audiovisual room . “We’re trying our best to balance studies at the same time extracurricular although if you noticed we’re not really that much into extracurricular. We have sports fest but it’s only for a day. We have Araw ng Wika; you know, we have occasions like that but then again, that’s why it’s called extracurricular. It’s just an additional. What’s important still is that you’re going to learn.” said Sir Ziegrey. Hence, APEC still strives to better itself over the years for the students and parents, and in contributing to nation-building. There are still a lot to improve but what was started out in the sites of APEC is something promising and worth prospering.
