As part of the various activities lined up for De La Salle Lipa’s (DLSL) 60th founding anniversary, the institution officially welcomed Br. Edmundo “Dodo” Fernandez FSC as the 6th brother president through an investiture held at the DLSL Sentrum last Friday, Feb. 17.
In his inaugural address, Br. Dodo cited research that shows how a lecture model is highly ineffective which contributes to the learning gap in the country and emphasized the need to revisit and reimagine “how” and “what” the institution teaches to ensure that the education it provides is of the highest possible quality.
“We need to ensure that parents and students who come to us truly get what they signed up for – an excellent Lasallian education which includes proper formation and an academic program that will equip students for 21st-century jobs,” he remarked.
Br. Dodo mentioned how apprenticeships, internships, and on-the-job training in the country traditionally start in the last year of schooling compared to international schools that do this as early as their frosh years.
He further emphasized that DLSL must take advantage of being surrounded by industrial parks, science parks, kitchens, hospitals, farms, and the likes which are the sources of real-life experiences, creativity, and innovation.
“I think the school must make an effort to partner with them and allow them to see that this will be a mutually beneficial exercise,” he said.
To prepare the young generation for a future that is constantly changing and for jobs that do not yet exist, Br. Dodo tackled how competency skills taught to students can be clustered into three major areas: learning and innovation skills (which involves critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and innovation); digital literacy skills (which involves information and media literacy), and career and life skills (which includes self-direction, self-awareness, accountability, and ethical decision making).
As the current head of La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) and De La Salle-College of St. Benilde (DLS-CSB), Br. Dodo also sets out to pursue innovative measures and explore partnerships to further strengthen DLSL’s brand of education.
“The clustering presents us with endless possibilities of benchmarking, shared services, joint programs, and collaborations […] We learn from these schools, but they will also learn much from De La Salle Lipa,” he said.
To conclude his speech, Br. Dodo acknowledged the work of former DLSL presidents and how he continuously carries all the learnings he acquired 30 years ago as a teacher in the institution to the three schools that he handles today.
Related story: http://lavoxa.org/2023/02/11/meet-br-dodo-a-brother-by-fate-an-artist-by-heart/
The presidential investiture opened with a eucharistic celebration led by Rev. Msgr. Ruben Dimaculangan, highlighted the vesting of academic symbols facilitated by former DLSL presidents—presidential regalia from Br. Manuel Pajarillo FSC (3rd president), presidential medallion from Br. Joaquin Martinez FSC (4th president), and presidential mace from Br. Dante Jose Amisola FSC (outgoing president and chancellor), and ended with the installation of Dr. Erickson Martinez as the second DLSL chancellor.
Article by: Alex Julia Buendia
