San Lorenzo Ruiz College to offer Senior High School

Almost all schools here in Davao City are to implement the SHS not only in public schools but also in private schools. One of the schools here in Davao for example, the San Lorenzo College of Davao located at Lorenzville Homes, Ulas, Brgy. Talomo, Davao City, a school donated to the Archdiocese of Davao last 2015, despite its size as an institution will still offer Grades 11-12 among the young people of Davao. According to the school administrator of the school the primary clients of their SHS program are the young boys who finished Junior High School and wish to enter seminary. “At first, there was never a thought of creating a different department for SHS kay gamay pa man siya (school)… last July in one of the meetings of the priests, a question came up about the pre-college seminary and the implementation of K-12… the Archdiocese of Davao agreed that the JHS graduates will still be accepted in Pre-College Seminary but will obtain SHS at the San Lorenzo College of Davao which is nearer to the seminary.” Said Bro. Calumpang the School Administrator.

The San Lorenzo College will offer their academic track with a strand on Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) which will prepare the aspiring seminarians and even non–seminarians to prepare them for the higher education.

On a question asked about the importance and the need to implement this new curriculum, Ms. Richelyn Obillo, the School Registrar said “There is a need for us to stand equal with the academic standards/structure of the other countries in the world.” “As far as academic standards and structures are concerned, there is a big difference from the former curriculum as to this new one because there is an integration of the subjects and the spiral progression wherein integrated lessons are taught from bottom to top or from simple to more complex discussions helping the students to understand better the lessons. Also, the new curriculum is output-based… meaning to say, we give more importance to the skills developed by the students after every lesson.” Added Ms. Ailene Posas the Academic Coordinator of the school on the importance of the new curriculum.

Ms. Posas emphasized that students in SHS are being prepared to be academically and technically competent through the help of the different academic and non-academic tracks. “The tracks develop the students to become skilled-individuals especially the Technical-Vocational Livelihood Track and make them eligible to work as soon as they finish their SHS. By then, they may prefer to work and earn money first to help their parents and save enough money in order to pursue higher education which is college.”

Bro. Calumpong stressed that parents and teachers must collaborate and be informed about the new curriculum in order for them to guide properly their sons/daughters on their academic endeavors. Parents should not just dictate what their children are supposed to be someday, but rather guide them in their decision-making processes and this can be done with the consultations between parents and the school administration.

Aside from offering affordable education among the Davaoeños, the San Lorenzo Ruiz College, Inc., a diocesan school, also helps its students to be molded according to the teachings of the Catholic faith making them not only academically prepared but also equipped and faithful young people. (Jecy Opada)