The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, UP Visayas (UPV-CFOS), introduced the senior high school students from Igbaras National High School, Igbaras, Iloilo to various aspects of fisheries science during their work immersion program from January 21 to February 10, 2025.
Ten Grade 12 STEM students were assigned to various projects under the Institute of Fish Processing Technology (IFPT), Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology (IMFO), Institute of Aquaculture (IA), and the UPV Museum of Natural Sciences that provided them practical knowledge and hands-on training related to aquaculture, capture fisheries, and fisheries post harvest.
The program provided students with new knowledge and skills through hands-on laboratory activities that included taxidermy, taxonomy, pH analysis, freeze-drying, sensory evaluation, spectrophotometry, enzymatic hydrolysis, depuration, water salinity measurement, histology, planktology, fish biology, and otoliths extraction, among other things.
When asked by CFOS Dean Prof. Dr. Harold M. Monteclaro for their insights after completing a 10-day work immersion program, the students realized how broad and complex the discipline of fisheries is. They admitted to knowing nothing or having little knowledge about fisheries until they participated in the program. They also recognized the crucial role of fisheries in ensuring food security and sustainability.
“Our 10 days of work immersion were full of new learning and activities that expanded our knowledge and skills in ways that we did not imagine. I felt lucky to be one of the 10 students chosen to have our work immersion at UPV-CFOS,” said Charles Nickson C. Esmero on behalf of his peers.
Esmero, whose first choice was BS Fisheries when he applied for UPCAT, added that he can apply all the learning he had from the program when given the chance to pass and enroll at UPV.
Moreover, they were also grateful for the assistance provided to them by the training facilitators and staff for making their immersion a rewarding experience.
Monteclaro hoped that with the positive feedback, more students would appreciate and get encouraged to take and choose fisheries as their future career.
The students prepared a comprehensive report of their learning experience at CFOS. This was presented during the closing program held on February 10, 2025. The activity was also attended by the assistant principal, STEM adviser, and senior high school coordinator from Igbaras National High School.
Ms. Rose T. Mueda, CFOS Public Service Coordinator, encouraged the students to remain humble and multiply the knowledge that they obtained.
“We at CFOS are doing our best to serve our stakeholders by imparting essential knowledge on fisheries science. Humble yourself and multiply the learning you gained from this experience,” Mueda stated.
Mr. Kerwen E. Esmedullar, adviser of the STEM learners, expressed his appreciation to UPV-CFOS for the learning opportunity and unforgettable experience extended to their students.
“We will never forget our experience with UPV-CFOS. We have excellent feedback from our previous students who also spent their work immersion with this institution. We hope that this will continue in the coming years,” he added.
He requested his students to share their experience with other learners when they returned to their school, as “this knowledge should not only end with you so that we can encourage other learners to take up the BS Fisheries program, which is the primary purpose of the immersion program.”
