UAAP, CHED clear former Blue Eagle

MANILA, Philippines - The UAAP board yesterday dismissed the complaint filed by a league outsider questioning the eligibility of former Ateneo forward Jobe Nkemakolam during a board meeting at the Far Eastern U campus in Morayta yesterday.

No official statement was made but the board put the issue to rest when Ateneo presented a clarification letter from the Commission on Higher Education certifying the eligibility of Nkemakolam to enter college, in this case Ateneo.

Last Tuesday, a certain Atty. Levito Baligod filed a complaint with the UAAP board, claiming Nkemakolam, who played for Ateneo in 2004, 2007 and last year, lacked some units to complete his high school studies.

Baligod presented several documents, including a CHED certification released last Sept. 3 by Officer-in-Charge director III Lilian Enriquez that the former Eagle allegedly lacked the requirements to enter college.

But in a letter to Baligod yesterday, with a copy obtained by The STAR, Enriquez cleared the issue on Nkemakolam’s eligibility.

“This has reference to the certification issued by me regarding the evaluation of school credentials of Mr. Jose Sherwin E. Nkemakolam last Sept. 3, 2009, which states that ‘he has not met the academic requirements to graduate from high school, hence he is not qualified for admission to college,’” said Enriquez in the letter.

“Please be informed that DECS Order No. 26, Series 1994, entitled ‘Placement of Transferees from Foreign Countries Seeking Admission to Philippine Elementary and Secondary Schools,’ Paragraph 2(3) states ‘those who completed the eleventh or twelfth grade may be eligible for admission to the tertiary level. “

The same DECS Order also provides that “the accepting school shall have the discretion to accelerate their pupil to a higher Grade/Year, or conversely to a lower Grade/Year, depending upon the subsequent performance of the pupil in the accepting school”.

“I am writing you to clarify matters regarding the case of Mr. Nkemakolam,” added Enriquez.

Nkemakolam attended high school at Reedley International School, which certified that the player graduated from the school, before going to Ateneo in 2003.

Baligod also presented documents saying Nkemakolam attended Reedley for two years – Grade 10 (2002-03) and Grade 11 (2003-04) – and that the latter did not show records that he attended Grade 12.

“The issue is already settled because of the CHED letter,” Ateneo athletic director and league board representative Ricky Palou said. “There’s a rule that if you study at an international school, a Grade 11 student can go straight to college as long as the school accepts him.”

Sources said the league board tackled the issue for about 20 to 30 minutes.

“The letter was presented and being a personal matter, was not seriously discussed. It’s a matter between CHED and Ateneo and UAAP has no concern on the matter,” said one source.

“For me there’s no issue,” said another source.

Nkemakolam had been sought by a number of collegiate schools in 2003 but the 6-4 power forward opted to play for Ateneo a year later in a batch that also included last year’s MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Smart Gilas Pilipinas player Japeth Aguilar.

The issue came at the height of Mark Barroca’s ouster from Far Eastern U after the school sacked the prolific guard on allegations that the Zamboanga native held back part of his game late in the second round eliminations.