High schools remain on top of NCAE

FOR THE third consecutive year, both secondary schools in the University land on the top 10 list of Manila schools with the highest scores in the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE).

The UST Education High School and UST High School took the second and sixth places, respectively, with the former improving its standing from third place last year.

“We [in the Education High School] were not disappointed because we placed second [in the NCAE]. But we were really hoping that this year, we will place first,” said newly appointed principal Loreto Sauz. “We are glad that we were able to maintain our rank for three consecutive years.”

She added that placing second is not bad, knowing that the teachers are only fourth-year Secondary Education majors taking their practicum.

UST High School, however, slipped by two notches.

Newly appointed UST High School principal Marishirl Tropicales said there was nothing wrong with landing on sixth place.

“At least, we were included in the top 10. But of course, we hope to have a higher rank, probably next year,” said Tropicales, who served as Education High School principal for six years.

Tropicales recently transferred to UST High School. She said her appointment was intended to “contribute something positive” to the department.

“I bring with me the knowledge, values and skills that I have gained in my 19 years of teaching and administrative work in the College of Education,” she said. “With this, I [hope to impart] new ways of thinking and doing things in UST High School that would benefit the students,” she said.

A total of 499 Thomasian high school students, 100 from the Education High School and 399 from UST High School took, the NCAE last August 2010.

St. Jude Catholic School of Manila ranked first in the NCAE, while other schools that made it to the top 10 were Christian Academy of Manila (third), St. Scholastica’s College-Manila (fourth), Uno High School (fifth), Metropolitan International Christian Academy (seventh), St. Peter the Apostle School (eighth), St. Stephen’s High School (ninth), and Philippine Cultural College (tenth).

Other Dominican-run schools like Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Santa Catalina College, and the Dominican School ranked 26th, 35th, and 37th, respectively.

The NCAE aims to guide senior high school students in choosing their careers after graduation by assessing their academic proficiency, as well as their technical-vocational aptitude, non-verbal and abstract abilities, entrepreneurial skills, and occupational interests. Daphne J. Magturo