“We don't care what people know, we care what they do. It's all about performance.” - Michael Allen

The pride of every teacher, mentor or trainer is to see their students put into practice whatever they have been taught and above all make it part of their lives  even as they graduate and move on in life.  Every school is proud of her products when they make it to higher positions and hold responsible post in their workplaces and in society.  Yes, it is all about what is done with the knowledge that is acquired. It is all about productive output.

UIC Students: group discussion

Very often, I encounter learners so busy about their performance tasks and it amazes me to  see their creativity and intelligence exhibited during their assignment.  The discipline of  staying up late to complete their task, the sacrifice of spending  much money to get the best  material for their project and the sense of teamwork that is shown by all is a clear indication  of the  desire to produce and present the best performance task.  The obsessive desire for success can also sometimes lead to using the wrong means to gain. The performance may be good or bad based on the means and the end desire of the  individual.  Hence, every society or organization faces the challenge of dealing with the back ground, the  quality of performance and output of its members.

UIC: Spiritual Enrichment Encounter

Annually, thousands of students graduate from church-based schools and go into the workforce in and outside their countries. These schools provide quality and wholistic education to their graduates.  Good moral and religious values are  integrate in their curriculum.  For example, UIC has its Core Values: Faith, Excellence and Service with their related values consistently integrated in all subjects using what it calls the RVM Pedagogical plan for its lessons. These schools have religious activities as well to develop the  moral and spiritual life of their students who it is hoped are to make a difference in a general turmoil society of corruption, indiscipline and selfishness.Yet we all hear about people in high positions in our society who have good religious educational background, caught and accused of serious offenses.  We keep asking, what went wrong?  who is wrong? Where is the problem?  What happened to all the moral and religious formation received from home, church and school?  We feel concern regarding the outcome of all the education, knowledge and values formation received by our leaders, policy makers, government officials down to the person employed in the lowest position and employment.

Corruption is becoming a common reality. Getting a descent employment today would depend on knowing and being related to a higher official at the company.  The trend is no longer employing people who deserve the ‘job’ and can perform better without much hassle. Nepotism can eradicate honesty, and transparency in any organization while affirming the adage: ‘blood is thicker than water’ so employing a close relative is an assurance of security camouflaged corruption. People entrusted with responsibilities try to slice out a greater portion of the profit for their self gain without paying attention to the common good.  These and many more indecent practices are common today.

UIC: Religious and Values Formation Activity

Can we then say that the Catholic or Christian schools educating, forming and inculcating the right values in its students are failing in their mission to prepare future leaders with the correct attitudes, values and inner-directedness?

 Educational learning centers need to evaluate and redefine their way of helping their students imbibe the good or Gospel values and change lives not just minds.  When the heart, the totality of the person changes, performance will be positive and would change society as well. The effective education received would manifest itself in the ultimate performance of the individual. As scripture says, ‘action speaks louder than words.’ All of us therefore are challenged to be part of the wholistic development of our students for a better peaceful and secured society.

Students Population: UIC Basic Education