Book #2 of the Campus Sleuths' Series.
Enter the student life in the prestigious academe of Castillo High - where favoritism is a religion, the campus is a board game, and the system is bullshit. Every single student is a pawn.
But not for long.
Thr...
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WHILE MAJORITY of the morning classes were disrupted by the inspections, the rest of the day was uneventful inside the campus.
Lessons continued on and soon enough, the day was ending once more, with Enzo back in the student council office, presiding over that sunny afternoon's meeting.
Makikita ang binata sa pinakadulo ng mahabang lamesa, with the officers and committee members seated around him, taking notes about their following agenda for the next few months now that their next project, the Castillian dance, was fast approaching.
"Now that the official committees for the dance have been organized, let's talk about the elephant in the room — an issue we've been ignoring since last year," Enzo announced, unrolling a few copies of the latest Castillian Gazette issue in his hands and passing it around the officers.
"And what exactly is the elephant in the room?" Sheyna asked with a frown as she read the front page.
"The rise of student dropouts," Enzo replied back dryly, raising his own copy for everyone to see. "As well as the fact that less and less students are re-enrolling for the next academic year."
"But isn't the administration still investigating this matter?? Hindi ba mas magandang hintayin muna natin ang say ng mga nakakataas bago tayo mangialam?" Althea Fuentes, the student council secretary, inquired. She was writing the minutes of the meeting and had raised the pen she was using to catch Enzo's attention.
"Yes, the admin is still currently investigating it," tango ni Enzo. "However I have a strong inclination that the results of their investigation will consist of many factors. Marami kasing posibleng rason kung bakit nagda-drop o umaalis ang mga estudyante. Pwedeng dahil sa patuloy na pagtaas ng enrollment fees, decline in quality of learning, or simply because of the migration of students."
He then cleared his throat. "So as president, I think this is the perfect opportunity for the council to lobby for the decrease of enrollment and other fees. Siguradong makikinig ang administrators if we make them realize that the increase of fees is part of the reason why students are dropping out. And since problema rin yung pagliit ng student population, I believe it's best that we advocate as well for the school to open its doors more to the general public."
Agad na napatingala ang karamihan sa binata dahil sa kanyang sinabi, eyes wide open and jaws dropped.
In the many recent years of Castillo High's modern student council, ngayon nalang ulit nakarinig ang mga estudyante ng isang presidente na willing i-discuss ang mga important issues affecting the student body. Madalas kasi ay nahahantong sa pagiging events organizer lamang ang council.
"Oh god Enzo," Sheyna laughed, the first one to break the surprised silence as she tossed the newspaper back on the table and leaned against her chair. "Are you out of your mind? Open the doors to what? More scholars? Kaya nga isang prestigious school ang Castillo High eh," the vice president said, waving a hand dismissively.
