Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan will be consolidating the Xavier University Grade School campuses at Macasandig and Pueblo de Oro into one.
“The Grade School consolidation is good news,” said Xavier Ateneo President Fr. Mars Tan S.J. in his message during a recent XUGS convocation. “This plan will be carried out beginning in April this year and will be implemented in phases until 2023 or even beyond.”
The One XUGS Consolidation is part of the university’s strategic plan in pursuit of its educational mission and vision of “becoming a leading ASEAN university forming leaders of character by 2033.”
“The consolidation is strategic, sustainable, and it will pave the way to a more systematic and organized XU Grade School,” Fr. Tan noted.
“This will not happen automatically; we all have to work together to translate the consolidation gains into a more systematic and efficient GS operation.”
XU will not merely focus on the physical transfer of its faculty and non-teaching personnel, but on curriculum development and the construction of additional infrastructure as well to enable it to deliver excellent 21st-century education, and provide a more conducive learning environment for its students, teachers, and parents alike.
Full integration by SY 2022-2023
By School Year (SY) 2022-2023, the consolidated XUGS will be fully integrated into the XU Basic Education Complex in the Pueblo Campus, along with the Pre-school, Junior High, and Senior High School (Academic Track and ALGCIT).
This would make access by all XUGS pupils easier to the Xavier Ateneo Sports Centre with its track oval, seven-lane swimming pool, and various game courts, as well as the Manresa Campus along Fr. William Masterson Avenue.
Fr. Tan assured parents they don’t have to worry about the immediate implications of the consolidation since it would not require their children to return to campus anytime soon while the IATF prohibitions and safety protocols are still being enforced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“XUGS is implementing online classes for this school year (SY2020-2021) and the next (SY2021-2022), so the students will have to stay at home, there is no need to go to the Pueblo campus yet,“ said Dr. Dulce Dawang, XU Vice President for Basic Education.
In-person classes for SY2022-2023 at the Pueblo campus would only commence when permitted by the proper government agencies and upon careful evaluation by the university administration.
“The transition will not be immediate for our pupils because we still have to follow the protocols of the government,” Dr Dawang stressed. “We only hope that by SY2022-2023, we will be able to cater up to 50% of our students at any given time, as part of the Cautious Return to Campus and XU’s Flexible Learning Program.”
Memories in XUGS Macasandig
As XUGS Macasandig gradually transitions uptown, the administration will study the next uses of XUGS Macasandig since other higher education units are interested to develop it as their own campus.
“As of this time, there is no definite plan yet, but we will be subjecting it to further studies and evaluations so we can optimize the next use of the Macasandig campus,” Fr. Tan noted. “We will still use our facilities in Macasandig, particularly the XUGS Auditorium.”
The university president has also acknowledged the various concerns shared by the XUGS faculty and staff during the convocation’s open forum.
“There are still other important things to look at and consider in the GS consolidation, such as the memories of your many years in the GS Macasandig campus that we won’t be able to bring with us completely to the new campus. We in the administration recognize that and we would like to work with you on how we can manage well this potential emotional impact on us.”
Fr.Tan hopes parents would welcome this good news for their children and see the advantages of a “reimagined XU Grade School.”
As soon as the various committees will be formed, the university president assured the XUGS community, including parents and alumni, that consultations will be conducted to address their concerns and ensure the consolidation is successful.
“We will have a series of small group discussions to consult you on how to do this better,” .
“There is a committee to take the lead in the planning, but it won’t just be the work of the committee, we want you to be involved because the new consolidated GS is your new project, your new school, your new home.”
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(Cover photo courtesy of Ivanell Ramonal Subrabas)