Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the inauguration of the new STI West Negros University School of Basic Education (SBE) building in Bacolod City “is a welcome development in our goal to enhance and strengthen our educational system and is a decisive and a bold step in meeting the challenges of educational globalization”.
Lacson, Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya, and STIWNU’s Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Jesli Lapus, Chairman of the Board of Directors Monico Jacob, President Peter Fernandez and Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer Dr. Ryan Mark Molina led the ribbon cutting and unveiling of the building marker Wednesday morning, May 15.
The four-storey SBE building with an upper deck is located along Hilado Street in Barangay 18, Bacolod City. The state-of-the-art facility has 43 modern classrooms that can accommodate 4,000 SBE students, from pre-elementary to senior high school levels.
It also houses seven laboratories, an expansive library, a clinic, faculty room, and meeting rooms, among other amenities.
Lapus, who is a former Education secretary, said “our commitment to basic education is epitomized in this building. Without basic education, we cannot start talking of tertiary education.”
He also said the expansion underscores the university’s commitment “to providing excellent and quality education, aligning with its vision and mission to foster academic excellence and holistic development for its students”.
“We are witnessing not just the unveiling of a physical structure but the promise of brighter futures and better opportunities for our Negrense learners”, Lacson said.
The governor said he was informed that the university will also focus on sports that he hopes someday will produce champions that will help Negros Occidental become No. 1 in Western Visayas.
Lapus, in an interview, said he is in favor of the return to old school calendar to ensure more ideal conditions for students in classrooms.
He said the major disadvantage of online classes is not just academic, it’s the lack of normal interaction for students.*