IF it wasn’t for a message sent to her via social media, Hannah Lei Pepito would not have known quickly that she passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) held last March.
The 21-year-old was shaking when she found out yesterday that she not only passed, but also ranked fourth out of 58,323 test-takers in the elementary level.
Hannah, who hails from Barangay Tayud, Liloan, said she was at school to pick up documents needed for her work when she received the news. She works in the Academia del Christifidelis in her hometown.
She was casually browsing on her phone when a former classmate sent her a screenshot photo of the list of LET topnotchers posted by the Professional Regulation Commission.
“I was shaking when I saw my name beside the number four,” Pepito told Superbalita in Cebuano.
The first thing Hannah did was call her parents. She then rushed to the chapel of the University of Cebu-Lapu-Lapu Mandaue (UCLM) to offer a thanksgiving prayer.
‘Super blessed’
Aside from hard work, Hannah said, she visited and offered a novena prayer every day to Saint Joseph of Cupertine as the date of the exams drew closer.
She also traveled around 13.3 kilometers from her house to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño every Sunday to attend the Holy Mass.
“I am so happy and super blessed,” Hannah said repeatedly.
UCLM College of Education Dean Elna Sabornido said Hannah’s success is also a feat for the school.
She said they did not have any topnotchers last year but that UCLM has been producing topnotchers since 2012.
According to Sabornido, Hannah was supposed to take the LET last September, but she was advised to wait until March since the school saw so much potential in her.
Although she did not graduate with honors, the school believed that Hannah would not only pass the exams, but top it as well.
Hannah is working on her master’s degree at the Cebu Technological University.
‘The next level’
Aside from Hannah, Cebu also had another topnotcher in the elementary level. Jade Tagab of the University of the Visayas (UV) ranked third with an 88 percent rating.
The faculty and staff of UV led by College of Education Dean Dr. Nerissa Lopez extended their best wishes for Jade, whom they described as a “shy girl”.
“I want to congratulate Jade for giving the university the honor. Actually Jade is a very shy girl. I am so proud of her and I hope to see her as soon as possible,” Lopez said.
In the secondary level, Roel Yu of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJR) ranked tenth with a rating of 90.6 percent.
Dr. Jestoni Babia, USJR College of Education dean, said Yu’s feat brought the school to “the next level.”
The deans, in separate interviews, said their schools will be extending incentives to their topnotchers. (With FVQ of Superbalita & Kate Denolang, STC Intern)