When merit is questioned

Last week, the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman shared that 241 students would be graduating summa cum laude. In another time, this kind of announcement would have been unanimously met with admiration. While many congratulated the students and their parents for the fruits of their years of hard work, there was also a large number of online commenters who accused one of the country’s premier universities of lowering its standards.

These reactions do not, and should not, diminish the achievement of UP’s honor graduates. But they do point to a deeper issue: Why has the public grown distrustful of academic merit?

To graduate summa cum laude from UP Diliman, a student must attain an absolute minimum weighted average grade of 1.20 or higher. In more layman’s terms, this means that one must receive the highest marks (equivalent to 96-100 percent) in all of their subjects and electives for four years. The level of consistency and grit required to attain that level of academic excellence is no easy feat. While their number may have slightly increased compared to previous years, the 241 students still represent the top-performing few out of thousands of students.

So why the public skepticism? Perhaps part of it could be attributed to the “participation trophy fatigue.” In the 1980s and the 1990s, participation trophies in youth sports gained traction in the US. The goal was to reduce the pressure on kids and encourage enjoyment over competition. Later on, this idea caught on in different parts of the world and permeated academic programs as well. Proponents of the idea believed that by giving everyone a participation certificate, the children could focus more on the learning experience and benefit from an increased self-efficacy, and hopefully lead to a deep love for learning.

While the intention was good, this movement eventually drew criticism for blurring the line between participation and excellence. By the late 2010s, educators and psychologists began pushing back. While they acknowledge that these rewards can serve as positive reinforcement, an unearned achievement can also eventually erode a child’s ability to persevere and create an inflated expectation for external validation. As outlined in psychologist Carol Dweck’s influential research on growth mindset, praise divorced from effort or framing achievements to be solely based on outputs can actually harm student motivation. Instead, Dweck encouraged educators and parents to teach children how to embrace challenges and to see setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth.

Today, most educational institutions favor Dweck’s approach. Modern pedagogical practices emphasize critical thinking, effort-based feedback, and mastery of concepts by putting equal emphasis on the learning process as much as on the output. Good teaching does not hand out participation awards for mediocrity; it sets high expectations and supports students in meeting them.

UP’s high number of awardees does not necessarily indicate a decline in academic standards. It could be just as likely a reflection of improved student support systems, better access to academic resources, or a student cohort that is more driven to excel academically than what we give them credit for.

Yes, we should be frustrated and concerned about the quality of education in the country. But it’s not the number of summa cum laude graduates we should be criticizing. Studying at UP continues to be one of the most effective ladders for social mobility. Unfortunately, many young Filipinos are unable to gain acceptance into the university because of the deep inequities in our basic education system. Our focus should be on addressing the disparity: How do we make it possible for more students from a disadvantaged background to receive the kind of rigorous, holistic education that will enable them to thrive?

Questioning the achievements of the 241 students will not raise the quality of education for others. We should keep holding our leaders accountable to improve the quality of education in the country. We should continue to equip schools, support teachers, and demand much-needed education reforms. However, let us also acknowledge the efforts of our top graduates, especially those who have managed to thrive despite systemic challenges.

Another question worth asking is where high-performing students go after they graduate. Many end up leaving the country due to economic necessity and a disheartening disconnect between academic credentials and available job opportunities. Until we are able to create an ecosystem that rewards talent and provides meaningful career paths, we will continue to lose our best and most talented minds.

Excellence earned through dedication and resilience reminds us what’s possible, despite an imperfect system. Rather than diminish their accomplishments, we should encourage our top graduates to apply what they’ve learned to open doors for others who weren’t as fortunate.