Why rob my child of her simple joy?

GOTCHA
By Jarius Bondoc
The Philippine Star 02/19/2007

This is an open letter of Ester E. Sauza to the Association of Science Educators of the Philippines (ASEP) that organized the National Science Quiz-Fair held in Baguio City last Feb. 9-11:

"I write this as a caring, hurting mother to protest the unfairness and injustice committed against my child by ASEP. Pardon my emotion, but I speak out to show my child how we care for her, that we would fight if necessary to correct any wrong done her.

"My daughter Nadya Patricia E. Sauza is the first-place winner in the Regional Science Fair (Region 6), and thus a rightful delegate to the national fair. She is supposed to present her study, ‘Bio-diesel from Waste Animal Fats in a Meat Processing Plant.’ a research that has earned the praise of the Dept. of Science and Technology branch in our province of Aklan.

"Unfortunately, Nadya is a victim of unfair and unjust treatment, of a decision devoid of compassion, by the organizers. She was robbed of a simple joy of joining the national fair. "ASEP struck out my child as participant in the Science Investigatory Project (Elementary Level) without the courtesy of informing her or her coach.

When we asked why, the chairman of the Investigatory-Elementary Level (a director of the Department of Education-National Capital Region), and panel judges Drs. Lloyd Ordonia and Paulyn Bawingan told us that ASEP cut Region 6’s delegates from four to two.

But why Nadya, we further asked? They said it’s the result of a palabunutan. What is this, a game of chance? Where is due process here?

"Worse, the organizers did not inform my child or her coach that she was not part of the contest anymore. The judges let my child go through the prejudging ‘so as not to disappoint her.’

Why deceive the child? Is it because the organizers are ashamed to tell Nadya to her face about their decision? (We were told about the patently heartless decision and other info surrounding it only after we persistently asked, and only when the Science Congress ended at around 4:45 p.m.) Tinanggalan na nga ng karapatan, binola-bola pa!

"Let it be clear that we don’t mind not winning the contest. We only want Nadya to have been given a fair chance to join, and to present her study to the panel of judges. She deserves this as a first placer of Region 6.

"My child worked very hard on her research. She conducted the experiments from June to September 2006. We her parents, her school, her teacher-coach and her consultants from Aklan State University, supported her all the way — financially and by being there when she needed us.

"Her hard work was rewarded when she won in the provincial and regional divisions. In preparing for the national event, we supported her for the training and logistics. We spent extra hours to hone her skills. We traveled long hours, spending hard-earned money, just to reach Baguio.

"Only to be barred from joining the Science Fair! Where is compassion in this? How my heart melted when I saw Nadya in tears. "The chairman of the Investigatory-Elementary Level blamed the DepEd Region 6 for sending more than two delegates, so ASEP decided on its own to trim down the number by drawing lots.

"Assuming DepEd Region 6 was at fault, why punish our child? Why not resolve the matter bilaterally with DepEd-6? Or why not choose the two regional first-place winners? (The judges said they did not know who the first placers are? So why didn’t they ask?)

Or better yet, why not let the four Region 6 delegates join the contest for the sake of scientific discovery — and for the sake of giving simple happiness to our young children? "We will go home hurting as we cry for justice.

Nadya will surely be traumatized. But I will tell her to understand her elders, to keep thirsting for knowledge despite the damage they have done her. Hopefully this sad episode in her young life will not kill her enthusiasm for learning.

We will tell her that in our hearts, she is our champion. And that nobody, not even the organizers of this National Science (Un)Fair can rob her of that."

Note: Nadya, 12, is a Grade 6 pupil of Starglow Center for Academics and Arts in Kalibo, Aklan. She is a consistent top student in her class and was recently awarded "Most Outstanding Elementary Pupil of Region 6", by the Private Schools Administrators Association of the Philippines on Feb. 7, 2007. As first placer in both News Writing and Photojournalism, she will represent Region 6 in the National Schools Press Conference tomorrow.

* * *E-mail: jariusbondoc@workmail.com