UPISNews09012006

Faculty Seeks Reinstitution of Lateral Entry
Tonio Ocampo (09.15.2006)

On September 5, 2006, the UPIS Faculty unanimously approved to submit for the Chancellor's approval, the reinstitution of lateral entry which the University's Board of Regents (BOR) suspended in 1991. At present, the only entry point to UPIS is through kindergarten which allows only 100 students, 60 of whom are required to be children of University personnel. The Faculty felt that the infusion of new students at Grade 7 via competitive admission testing would challenge non-lateral entry students to perform better academically.

Changes in Admission Policies

UPIS used to admit 150 students at Kindergarten and an additional 70 students at grade 7. However, in 1991, the Board of Regents decided to suspend lateral admissions and reduce Kindergarten admissions to 100. This was in reaction to two Commission on Higher Education orders. CHED Order Number 4 Series of 1996 limits laboratory high schools to 500 students and CHED Order Number 21 Series of 1997 limits laboratory elementary schools to 600 students. This led the University administration to put an 1100 limit on UPIS despite the fact that UPIS starts at Kindergarten and not Grade 1.

Ill Effects

Such a policy has had adverse affects on the school. With a dwindling student population, UPIS 7-10 was forced to close down almost all pavilions in the old building. In actuality, all classes can now be held in the new building alone.

The suspension of lateral admission has also caused a bit of a brain drain. Every year, UPIS loses 8% of its grade 6 students to the Philippine Science High School and their slots are never replaced. This is one of the factors which contribute to the rather disappointing UPCAT qualifying rate of students who entered UPIS at kindergarten.

Students who enter at kindergarten have, on the average and after Philippine Science has had its fill, a 45% chance of qualifying in the UPCAT. On the other hand, those who enter at grade 7 have, on the average, a 75% chance of qualifying.

Fortunately, the present Commission on Higher Education seems to have changed its mind about downsizing lab schools.

Saving Grace

During a PASUC conference, CHED Chairman, Carlito Puno proposed that lab schools be allowed to accept more students to help alleviate the shortage of classrooms in the public school system. This statement emboldened the UPIS faculty to ask the UP administration to reinstitute lateral entry at grade 7.