MARAWI CITY, October 31, 2017 – Despite the five-month long war between ISIS – inspired Maute group and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), thousands of students enrolled for school year 2017-2018 at Mindanao State University (MSU).
According to Ronald Silvosa, Information Technology Officer and Head of the Information System Department of the College of Information Technology, MSU has a total of 8,697 students for this semester.
Dr. Alma Berowa, Vice President for Academic Affairs of the MSU System said that last semester the population of college students was 12,000, with 2,210 graduating graduated last July 13, 2017.
With no freshmen and sophomores coming in as new students due to K to 12, the decline of students’ population was expected.
MSU officials, witht the support of the alumni, prepared for the opening of classes and in the face of the on-going conflic, students from different parts of Mindanao still came and enrolled.
One of the Alumni’s campaign was the giving of MSU T-shirts for the first 300 enrollees, on top of the MSU assurance that students for this semester will have free tuition fees; students just need to show their Certificate of Indigency from their respective municipalities or barangays.
As for the security, all entrances and exits of the campus were secured by the Marines; curfew was also imposed, and Peace Keeping Force (PKF) of MSU had a 5-day training conducted by the military officials.
With the University trying to make life in the campus back to normal and ease possible trauma among some students, the Psychology department of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities conducted psychosocial activities on September 20 at the MSU Sports Complex.
Other organizations such as Duyog Marawi MSU sector also conducted activities to promote peace and healing to the students with an orientation training held last September 21.
Duyog Marawi MSU section also launched the following programs and services: Healing and reconciliation, peace building, and peace theatre. (D.R. Francisco/ Duyog Marawi News)