Rising Grades, Failing Systems: The Tragedy of Filipino Learners

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The pandemic has already taken loved ones and normalcy from students’ lives; let it not deprive them of their sense of achievement.

During the onset of face-to-face graduation ceremonies last June 2022, loud whispers of those vexed by the sudden increase of honor graduates menaced the celebrations of students. The most notable instance, as reported by Bernardo (2022), was when a professor of journalism in UP-Diliman urged the need to “seriously discuss grade hyperinflation” after about 1,433 students would graduate with Latin honors, 147 of which were Summa Cum Laude; an uncommon occurrence considering the university’s history.

Generally, these displeasures sprung following the trend of relatively—and to some, unfairly—higher grades of students during the worst of the pandemic.

Wiith the halt of face-to-face setup in early 2020, many students continued their education in their homes through online learning via electronic devices. This combination of a virtually unrestricted environment with the power of the internet at students’ leisure has provided an opportunity for academic dishonesty. A news article by Bautista (2021) showed that a now-archived facebook page called “Online Kopyahan” was used by students to disseminate their modules, and request answers from the group’s members–about 600,000 in number at its peak. Additionally, students can use search engines, open files, and even collaborate with others while taking exams. Professors have also pointed out that the online setup is just not challenging enough, and institutions have become too lax. These became the primary suspects for grade inflation, explaining why better grades were not viewed as a direct result of greater effort.

The integrity of systems that evaluate student performance was shrouded by a sea of doubt. Thus, Philippine society—whether in households, schools, and companies—has unfortunately adopted an invalidating mindset where student performance during the pandemic is treated less favorably than that of the previous years.

Pandemic students often hear the disheartening words, “ma-suwerte nga kayo kasi online.” And any form of triumph in school is sure to be followed by the condescending “syempre madali kapag online lang” or “if face-to-face naman mahirap i-achieve yan.” Varieties of these statements exist; some are more subtle, while others are explicit, but all cuts just the same.

To conclude that grade inflation is just a function of academic dishonesty and institutional leniency while implying the rise of student complacency is short-sighted and, as a student, personally, enraging. It is appalling that the fruits of the labor of of the virus’s spread does not seem effective or properly under control. This stress results in increased anxiety and depression, which negatively affect the ability to learn and perform. the learners that survived or are still pushing through the plights of the pandemic has been reduced to a mere product of circumstance or ‘luck’.

As we recognize the intricacies of the issue, we will realize that it is not a matter that is merely debatable among consumers of contradictory values. It involves the life, safety, and rights of the workers who are continuously undermined for their efforts. Viewing it as a dispute of preferences instead of an issue with the Philippine government’s failure to protect the working sector from inhumane contracts, or lack thereof, is a relatively shallow perspective. As citizens of the country and members of the consumer population, we hold the responsibility of demanding urgency to both the corporations and the senate. If the situation persists, employees will become the sacrificial lamb for as long as this gray area remains unresolved.

Making matters worse, our educational system and society value students’ grades more than their learning progress. Everything is about outputs and scores, but never about skill, potential, or growth. Students have become machines whose grades reflect their value as workers. Hence, the loss of one’s academic standing is always attributed to a bleaker future, which makes some learners feel pressured to compensate, even by any means necessary. With these heavy expectations from several entities, students see that the benefit of cheating outweighs its risks [3-4].

That being said, these statements in no way justify duplicitous conduct. Rather, they bring to light that the solution to academic dishonesty is not just the implementation of anti-cheating programs. It also requires a remedy for the mental, societal, governmental, and institutional factors that breed this kind of deceitful behavior. Simply pinning all the blame on students without delving into its roots is like employing a militaristic solution to a medical problem—unwise, and damaging.

The saturated discussion on academic dishonesty makes me believe it is necessary to remind the readers that not all students cheat, nor do students cheat all the time. Mainstream media have supported the idea that cheating is the norm for students nowadays. But it is important to break this cycle of thought, as the genuine efforts and struggles of numerous students have been overlooked. People act as if pandemic students have all turned into lazy, ungrateful monsters who do nothing but complain despite everything being served on a silver platter. Society tends to forget that students are also victims of the pandemic.

Students were denied a normal college experience, underwent difficulty adjusting and learning, and were subjected to the daily fear of death and the uncertainty of tomorrow; some lost their lives, while others lost their loved ones. Nothing speaks of leniency nor bears any semblance to a “silver platter.” Students endured this hellish historical moment but still managed to push through it all. Alas, what welcomes them to the finish line of their academic endeavors is a society that doubts and reproaches.

Students did not simply achieve during the pandemic but, more notably, achieved despite it.

With regards to the issue of academic dishonesty, scientific papers, such as the article of Jenkins et al. (2021) and the research paper of Arie & Jacobs (2021), mentions “stress” and “pressure” as primary motivations for cheating, and when COVID-19 is taken into consideration, the potency of these motivators is compounded. Students deal with the demands of school in a completely new setting while constantly fearing for the safety of their families and themselves. It does not help when the containment

If we insist on degrading the achievements of students during the pandemic, then it is only right that we call out and condemn the inadequacies of the government and institutional responses just the same. After all, unlike students, the people in positions of authority and influence were not as powerless in the face of this biological disaster. Their active choices and superficial proactiveness led to the cultivation of a system that was less than adequate, perhaps even damaging to the growth and learning of students during the pandemic.

Grade inflation is real, but it must not reflect subpar student performance and efforts but a substandard educational system and a non-holistic pandemic response.