BSU-Kabayan Campus welcomes pioneering enrollees for August 2022. It is a dream come true.
Set amidst the background of Mount Pulag and Kabayan’s heritage sites, the Benguet State University (BSU) soft opened Kabayan Campus in Kamora National High School, Gusaran, Kayaban Benguet on April 19, 2022.
Having BSU-Kabayan Campus will give opportunities to senior high graduates and interested students to continue college especially among students in adjacent municipalities to include Bokod, Buguias, Tinoc in Ifugao, and Kayapa in Nueva Vizcaya.
As its first years of establishment, the BSU-Kabayan Campus will be housed in the two buildings of Kamora National High School while BSU plans to build their own in the next years.
BSU-Kabayan Campus is among the three new campuses to be established in partnership with the local government unit and the Department of Education (DepEd). The other two campuses underway for opening include BSU-Kapangan and BSU-Itogon.
“BSU Kabayan Campus is a dream come true to every yKabayan to have a college in Kabayan” said Gusaran Punong Barangay Joanne Belting.
This 20-year-old dream of having a higher education institution (HEI) in Kabayan is pioneered by the 86-year-old educator Victor Cosalan, a retired English Supervisor in Benguet and former three-term mayor.
“It is not easy to put up a college but it was a dream turned into reality because it is an advantageous and hope for the future generations,” said Cosalan.
Cosalan remembered in his tenure as educator and mayoralty that he has to research with the experiences of the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College and has to discuss with BSU Former President Rogelio Colting. He also went to the Department of Budget and Management for consultation regarding the financial apparatus in establishing an HEI in Kabayan.
Cosalan expressed “gratitude to BSU as big brother” in heeding the call of the Kabayan and the 20-year-old-dream.
“I aim to make BSU a great university in Benguet so the national level will know it. I also intend to have 13 universities in Benguet, as we tell to our children to stay at home and we bring the services of the education sector to them,” stated President Felipe S. Comila.
Atty. Renante B. Basco, BSU legal officer, explained the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between BSU and the Department of Education-CAR. The agreement is focused on the “use of facilities for extension classes and BSU-Kabayan Campus”.
The parties will be employing usufruct agreement in the implementation and establishment of BSU-Kabayan campus. With the usufruct agreement, BSU will be borrowing the facilities of KNHS while providing instruction services to the students.
As such, BSU will be utilizing the two-storey H.E Laboratory Building of KNHS for extension classes. This two-storey building has two classrooms for laboratory and two classrooms for lecture classes.
By the way of usufruct, BSU will just borrow the facilities, not donated or owned by BSU. In terms of reference, the facilities will be used for extension classes and other related activities not exceeding to 50 years.
Comila mentioned putting up its own building and will also offer new courses for the next years for BSU-Kabayan Campus.
He added: “If you have the brilliance of the mind, the splendor of the heart, the skill and the talent of the people and you do not support it with a container to sustain such a mind, such a heart, then it will be left. So let’s continue to contain and sustain the dream-turned-into-reality of Cosalan who authored this idea.”
BSU-Kabayan Campus will welcome aspiring students for the Bachelor of Science in Tourism (BS Tourism) as its first degree program.
Other courses in the undergraduate level such as teacher education, public administration, agriculture and forestry, nursing, and criminology related degree programs will soon be offered following the Board of Regents (BoR) approval applied at the university level.
On the other hand, graduate programs will soon be offered in the BSU-Kabayan Campus to include in public administration, education, home economics, and home economics technology. Doctor’s degree in educational management will also be offered.
These degree programs; however, will undergo further deliberations at the university level on its implementation plan and system of operations.
BSU-Bokod Campus Executive Dean, Dr. Samuel Poliden stated in his discussion of the feasibility study conducted in 2021 that the priority degree programs across student, community, and teacher respondents include teacher education, nursing, information technology, and agriculture-related professions.
In terms of administrative governance, the BSU-Bokod Campus will facilitate Kabayan Campus’ management and operation for the meantime while designations are underway.
For the upcoming School Year 2022-2023, BS Tourism will be offered in August 2022.
It can be noted that for a course to be offered there should be 25 students for the starting class.
For the admission requirements, the applicants need to achieve an 80% General Weighted Average (GWA) for BS Tourism. The applicant must be physically and mentally fit, and must be of good moral character. With students having lower GWA as required in the degree program, one can forward a letter of intent to the BSU for review and approval.
For Senior High School graduates, the following admission requirements may be submitted: a. Photocopy/scanned copy of PSA Birth Certificate; b. Photocopy/scanned copy of PSA Marriage Certificate for married female using the family name/surname of the husband; c. Hard copy One (1) 2×2 recent formal studio “type” photo (not necessarily taken in a studio); d. Certified true copy of Grade 11 and Grade 12 Report Card; e. Photocopy/scanned copy will suffice if applicant can present original copy for comparison purposes; and e. Certification of Enrollment for the last term that you are enrolled from last school attended.
Starting May 2022, admission for BS Tourism will be entertained. Applicants from Kabayan can proceed to Kamora National High School for enlistment while applicants coming from municipalities can proceed to the nearest BSU Campus to seek enlistment at the Office of the Executive Director.
Announcement will also be posted at the BSU Facebook Page and Admissions-Benguet State University FB Page.
By Judea B. Ballagan
