by Rabindranath S. Polito
MSU-IIT continues her excellence as more College of Engineering (COE) graduates pass and top the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) board exams this year.
Prof. Feliciano Alagao, COE dean, believes that the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) can be considered as first compared with the other departments of COE in the Institute based on the PRC result for the last five years with an estimated passing average of 96%. He is proud to announce that for this year, the said department attained a 100% passing rate. In April, the department got a 100% passing rate as compared with the 49% national passing rate. In October, the department still maintained its perfect rate as compared with the national passing rate of 60%. Dale Bryan R. Pacheo placed sixth with 87.40%.
Still in April, the Department of Chemical Engineering (CHE) also fared well in the board exam with an 80% passing rate compared with the 43% national passing rate. The department had an added glory when it also produced the 1st placer, Edmark S. Icalina (83.60%). In November, its passing average increased to 85% compared with the 52% national passing rate. Vergil A. Aleria placed 10th with an average of 80.60%. With this recent performance, MSU-IIT is marked as the number 2 performing school (10-20 examinees) in Chemical Engineering.
In May, the Department of Electrical Engineering (EE) was on the spotlight for reaching a 100% passing rate as compared with the 35% national passing rate. It had also produced another top achiever, May Alelin G. Pagal, who ranked third with an average of 85.45%. In September, the department still had a good passing rate of 89%.
Another feather to the hat of COE is the Department of Metallurgical Engineering (METE). Prof. Alagao emphasized that this course is offered by only two universities in the Philippines: UP and MSU-IIT. Although MSU-IIT may not be at par with UP, graduates of this Institute still showed competence as 44% of the takers made it in the August examination. Prof. Alagao added that only few usually take the exam yet it is rewarding to note that four IITians topped: Marc Juthrom S. Sia, 2nd placer (80.30%), Guillen L. Soco, 8th placer (78.35%), Norgelyne C. Silos, 9th placer (78.30%), and Argel L. Apduhan, 10th placer (78.10%).
Also in April, the Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering (ECE) earned a 50% passing rate. Six months later, it increased to 69% passing rate compared with the 26% national passing rate. Such performance brands MSU-IIT as the recent number 2 performing school (20-49 examinees) in Electronics and Communications Engineering.
In May, the Department of Civil Engineering (CE) made 8 engineers out of 9 examinees, resulting in 89% passing rate.
The other two departments—Ceramics Engineering (CERE) and Computer Engineering (EC)—do not have board exams.
Prof. Alagao believes that this success can be attributed to two major factors: the students themselves and the instruction. “Survivor talaga mga students natin, eh,” said Prof. Alagao. The students are survivors in the sense that they survive their professors and instructors who are never afraid to fail them if they do not deserve to pass the course. “The materials are already good,” Prof. Christine Godinez-Ortega affirmed. The fact that they have survived COE in MSU-IIT defines their actual proficiency and absolute competence.
Another factor that contributes to the success is the instruction. Prof. Alagao stated the instruction used by the COE faculty to students is entirely different from the other universities and colleges which focus more on solving the board exam problems. Instead, the COE faculty in this Institute trains the students to concentrate on “solving problems in the real engineering world; kaya ‘yung board exam problems ay madali na sa kanila,” he added.
Based on the board examination performance by the graduates earlier this year, the PRC places MSU-IIT third next to UP and UST. “And because of our performance in the recent board examinations,” Prof. Alagao remarked, “palagay ko, aakyat pa tayo!”
Topics : board passers