Nurturing the future of Filipino learners through holistic education

Education is often regarded as a ticket to success because of the many doors of opportunities it opens for everyone. Students can take further advantage of this if they are provided a learning experience that is holistic — one that is not limited to only academics and encompasses other important aspects of life, including intellectual, emotional, social, and physical dimensions.

According to a study by the Philippine Institute for Developmental Studies (PIDS), a positive, multidimensional college experience is generally associated with increased employability, a stronger sense of citizenship, and better life satisfaction. This supports the idea that holistic education enables students to fully realize their potential with higher capacity and preparation for their future career paths.

From this, we can say that holistic education can also help address job mismatch, one of the many factors to the high unemployment and underemployment rates in the country, that occurs when the qualifications required for a job and the skills, experience, and training possessed by an employee are not aligned, resulting in dissatisfaction and premature resignations in the workplace.

Schools and learning institutions can explore integrating a balance of traditional, experience-based, and character-building activities into their programs to provide students with a more well-rounded view of what their chosen industries can offer to help them make better choices regarding their careers. At the same time, teachers should also act as mentors who will guide and support their students in their learning journey rather than simply imparting knowledge.

STI College is an example of an institution that is known for its holistic approach to education. Our curricula, learning contents, and student activities are designed to provide a diverse range of experiences, including opportunities for creativity, collaboration, challenges, and personal growth to our students. This is anchored in our commitment to mold graduates and professionals who are future-ready with the knowledge, skills, experiences, and attitude to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Our best practices

Co-curricular and extracurricular activities are essential components of holistic education. These allow students to explore their interests, passions, and talents; develop new skills; and engage in meaningful interaction outside of the classroom. When students are able to connect their extracurricular activities to their academic studies, they are more likely to see the relevance and value of their education, leading to improved academic performance and a greater sense of purpose.

For an instance, at STI College, we have the Senior High School Expo and College Fair & Symposium wherein senior high school, and college students are given the platform to showcase their unique and original products and services to the public and get industry insights from business professionals and representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). The student exhibitors who are selected for DTI’s Choice will get free mentoring services and legal assistance in establishing their startups.

Our college students in the field of Information & Communications Technology and Computer Engineering are also given the chance to demonstrate the culmination of their education and training through the Most Outstanding Thesis Awards. A nationwide search for the most ingenious works from STI College students across all our campuses with reputable judges from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Mechatronics and Robotics Society of the Philippines, and more in a colloquium.

We also hold and take part in various competitions both academic and non-academic. Within the institution, the STI Talent Search, Tagisan ng Talino at Sining, and Sports Cup are held annually to let students show off their talents in singing and dancing, creativity, know-how, and athleticism. Inter-school competitions, on the other hand, enable students to harness their skills related to their chosen program and put their knowledge into real-life application against students from other schools and organizations. These engagements allow them to practice camaraderie and strong sportsmanship as well.

Even during the pandemic where health restrictions prevented face-to-face classes, we ensured that holistic education continued for STI students through the ONE STI Learning Model that combined the use of our eLearning Management System (eLMS) with onsite hands-on training as required at the campus. We supported this with helpful webinars on relevant topics such as mental health, citizen journalism, responsible gaming, online netiquette, and entrepreneurial mindset.

Also, part of our vision to develop competent, compassionate, and responsible citizens are community involvement and exposure programs for students. Examples of which are empowering youth voters through partnerships with ABS-CBN’s citizen journalism arm Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo (BMPM) and People’s Television Network (PTV) in the 2022 national elections and converting the STI Mobile School to a Bakuna Bus to reach out to individuals with no access to vaccination hubs in the country.

Championing holistic education is the way to ensure a bright future for our learners and the Filipino youth by giving them the learning opportunities to gain the necessary technical skills and knowledge for their chosen careers, all the while providing them with enriching real life experiences and activities where they can foster their interests and passions in a supportive and nurturing environment so they may come into their own: confident, self-directed, and lifelong learners - the important qualities to achieving personal and professional success.