By Renester P. Suralta
For 36 years, education has meant much more to me than just a job. It has been a lifelong journey filled with passion, perseverance and purpose. I started at the University of Southern Philippines (USP), a private school where I first found joy in teaching. Later, I moved to the public school system, where I faced new challenges and grew even more committed to serving others.
In 1990, after finishing college, I was excited to start my teaching career. Passing the licensure exam made me proud and relieved, as it allowed me to follow my chosen path. I also took and passed both the professional and sub-professional civil service exams. These milestones showed my commitment to professionalism and public service.
While working full-time, I challenged myself to grow further by enrolling in a Master’s program in Public Administration at Cebu Normal University. The long nights and busy days spent juggling work and studies taught me discipline and resilience. Later, I took on Law School at USP, driven by a desire to understand the legal frameworks that shape education and governance. Each step was difficult, but the pursuit of knowledge fuelled my spirit.
One of the most rewarding aspects of my journey has been the connection I built with my former students. Over the years, I have been regularly invited to their high school reunions, where I see familiar faces transformed into successful professionals and devoted family men and women. Witnessing their growth and achievements fills me with profound satisfaction and reminds me that my work has made a difference in their lives.
My career took a new direction and quantum leap when I passed the principal’s exam in 2017 and was assigned to remote mountain schools in Toledo City, Cebu. The realities I encountered were humbling. Classrooms were often makeshift and poorly equipped and learning materials were scarce. Many students came from poor homes and their world largely revolved around school and family, with few opportunities for enrichment or exposure beyond their immediate surroundings. This experience deepened my empathy and strengthened my resolve to improve education despite the odds.
Then, the Covid-19 pandemic struck, turning the world upside down. The shift to modular learning revealed significant gaps in resources, access and support, especially for students in remote areas. Limited movement and the absence of face-to-face interaction made teaching incredibly challenging. But I refused to give up. I adapted, persevered and found ways to reach out and support my teachers and students, knowing that their work and education were more important than ever.
It was also during this global outbreak that my old interest of writing came back to life to break boredom and loneliness away from home and to relieve work-related stress.
In 2023, in my desire for professional growth, I took the third level exam and was among the lucky individuals to pass the test.
In 2024, I transferred to the Talisay City Division and was again assigned to a mountain school but closer to home. The struggles continued, but this time I also faced personal health issues that slowed me down. Despite this, my commitment never wavered. I learned to balance my health needs with my passion for teaching and leadership, finding strength in the purpose that has guided me all these years.
Looking back on my 36-year odyssey, I see a journey shaped by challenges and growth, by moments of doubt and triumph, by the faces of countless students who have inspired me as much as I have inspired them. From private to public schools, from exams to degrees, from city classrooms to remote mountain schools, I have dedicated myself to education as a catalyst for change.
And through it all, one truth remains clear: education is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about nurturing hope, resilience and dreams. My story is just one among many, but it is a testament to what can be achieved when dedication meets heart and when a teacher believes in every student’s potential. At present, my impending retirement is beckoning me, but my job and responsibilities are far from over.
