3-Apr-2009 First Batch of CENTEX Students Graduate from High School
Ten years ago, CENTEX Manila opened its doors to 75 bright and deserving children from underprivileged families. Believing in the power of education to transform lives, CENTEX gives these promising children all the opportunities and benefits that a superior education has to offer.
The idea for a Center of Excellence in Public Elementary Education came about when Ayala Foundation realized that students graduating from public high schools had to be coached and tutored in order for them to pass qualifying examinations and make it through a two-year technical and vocational education course. Public elementary school education was simply not preparing students well enough to take on the challenges of secondary and tertiary education. Students lacked basic skills and competencies, and it was clear that to address these problems, greater attention had to be paid to elementary education. Thus, the idea of CENTEX was born.
According to Department of Education data, for every 100 children who enter Grade 1, close to 15 do not make into Grade 1, and approximately a quarter will have dropped out before Grade 4. Grade 3 marks a child’s third full year of basic education for students attending public elementary school. It is considered a critical grade level, for it is here when the facility to read, write, and do the basic arithmetic operations are expected to be fully developed. According to Juan Miguel Luz in his report, “A Nation of Non-Readers,” the assumption is that by the end of Grade 3, Filipino children are fully honing their basic competencies in the “three Rs”. Evidence however seems to show that this is not happening in many schools.
But CENTEX students show that there is hope for the public elementary schools in the Philippines. By making the right investments in curriculum development and teacher training, and by ensuring the health and wellness of children, it is possible for children to beat the odds. The experience of CENTEX students shows that given the right opportunities, students can rise above situations of poverty to reach their full potentials and achieve excellence.
In 1999, CENTEX admitted 75 students to kindergarten. Of these original 75, 71 completed the cycle of basic elementary education and graduated from Grade 6. This year, 60 of those students have graduated from 4th year high school, while others are still in high school. These figures show how investments in elementary education go a long way. CENTEX students are beating the odds, and not only making it past Grade 3, but making it into and graduating from high school. Out of the 60 high school graduates, CENTEX is proud to say that 53 – or 88% of CENTEX high school graduates - have already received notice of acceptance into Bachelor’s degree programs in various colleges and universities; while the rest are waiting for final word from their colleges of choice.
Not only is the first batch excelling, CENTEX continues to educate young children, with 128 students graduating from kinder this year. An additional 139 students are graduating from Grade 6.
In 10 years, CENTEX has grown from 75 students and one school, to reach over 1000 –students through two campuses. We look forward to the next 10 years and even more stories of hope! Congratulations to all the CENTEX graduates!
