Friday, October 06, 2006 Speak out: We say no to the ‘retake’ By Cesar G. Pagtakhan And Concerned Parents of Board Passers
WE, parents of board passers of the June 11-12, 2006 nursing licensure examination, would like to appeal to President Arroyo to spare our children from the ignominy of retaking their board examinations.
God is our witness that our sons and daughters passed the test honestly and fairly sans the leakage or cheating perpetrated by a few misguided examinees reportedly in the cities of Baguio and Manila.
A famous dictum repeatedly used in Philippine jurisprudence says, “It is better to let a guilty person go scot-free than an innocent person be hung.”
So, why punish our children who are innocent?
We believe that our children are being made a sacrificial lamb in favor of the whims and caprices of some of the President’s advisers---particularly Dante Ang---who are moving heaven and earth just to have the Nclex conducted here in our country.
But why sacrifice the future of our children? Why not improve the system so that, once and for all, we can raise the level of competence and integrity of the various licensure examinations and our professionals?
Talking of competence, we believe that the almost five years in college of our children plus their exposure to related learning and hands-on experiences are enough to measure their competence.
Although equally important, board exams, with only around 500 questions, should not be the sole gauge on the competence and ability of our children. Rather, it should only be considered as key for our children to be able to show their competence.
As to the alleged leakage, there is no way that it would affect the competence of our children, especially those who passed without cheating.
Our contention is anchored on the belief that when our children received their diploma, it conferred upon them the rights, privileges and responsibilities thereto appertaining, including the required competence to be a nurse.
Also, they have undergone more than two months of pre-board review, further honing and bolstering their competence.
But how could our children be possibly given the opportunity to practice, show and prove to the world their competence as a professional nurse if some people with selfish and dubious motives block the giving of their licenses?
Integrity! Maybe it was somehow tarnished. But should our children be blamed for this? Not, of course. Why not blame the system and the people behind it?
With the foregoing premises considered, we reiterate our appeal to our President to reconsider her decision requiring our children to retake the June 2006 nursing licensure examination.
Words are insufficient this time to describe the feelings of our children, their disgust and anxiety. It is very sad that a board passer in Cebu died without first receiving her license despite the oath she took under excruciating pain.
A mother of a board passer likewise died due to stroke after knowing that her beloved daughter could not be issued a license because of the court injunction.
Please Madame President, have pity on our children, as we parents pity them.
