Chapter I

Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

The College of Arts and Sciences was established in the

1970s offering a wide range of courses from AB broadcasting to

BS Psychology. The CAS building has been the learning grounds

to the numerous students taking up these courses and the 5 story

building has always been a home to University of the East

students.
The building had been under construction last 2015, and a

lot of the universitys faculty, security, staff, officials and students

have been waiting for the new face of the building and finally last

March their wait is over.

You can barely recognize the building for it looks more

elegant and eye friendly, the plain white building and the painted

windows before have been recreated and then had a pop of the

color Red which is the universitys color scheme, the windows

were torn down and had been replaced with glass, in which you

can clearly see the outside and has a very nice view with the

chapel and the infamous Batibot.

People have been praising the improvement of the

construction and other graduates have been posting pictures of it

on social media, claiming that the University of the East is their

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alma mater and that the new building is far from what they

remembered.
Everyone was excited to use and experience the newly

renovated rooms, students, whose rooms were transferred to

other floors, wanted to know if the change will somehow change

the aura of their classes. And in the last month of the semester,

March 2015, they finally experienced having their classes in the

rooms, some liked it and became more positive because of the

refreshing aura, which the sunshine contributed a lot from, and

some were irritated because of too much sunlight especially when

it hits noon. Nevertheless, students were excited about using the

rooms.
So, when the very suspicious fire started on the 2nd of

April, 2016, Saturday and destroyed the whole building, a lot of

faculty members, university officials, staff, and students were

shocked as the news broke. The fire engulfed the whole building

and left them with ashy remains and burnt memories of their

college years and as the school year starts the researchers would

like to know how the students are coping up with the loss of their

beloved building. Thousands of students are affected and are

adjusting to the loss of rooms that once served as a platform for

professors to pass knowledge to students.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The study is largely exploratory in nature which aims to answer the

following questions:

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 1. Are students affected by the loss?
2. Why are the remaining students willing to finish the year

despite the fire?

3. How are the remaining students adjusting to the loss of the

building?

1.3 Objectives of the study

This study has the following objectives
1. To understand the struggles of the students affected.
2. It determines the different things students, now, cant do because

of the absence of the CAS building.

3. It can increase the knowledge of the authorities about the

hardships of the students.

4. To hopefully offer some ideas to the authorities for the betterment

of the stay of the students.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The findings of this research will help determine if the students are

affected by the loss of the CAS building. Of course many will answer yes,

but the researchers would like to know whether they are positively affected

or negatively affected, different people have different thinking and a few

will always see good in everything and we would like to know what they

are.

The researchers would also want to know how the students are

adjusting to the said event to hopefully help the authorities to better the

stay of the students in the university while waiting for the reconstruction of

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the CAS and Engineering buildings which are almost half the size of the

Manila Campus.

The findings of this research would also be able to let the

professors understand how the students feel and vice versa, this would

further improve the student-teacher relationship and would later result to

better performances from both ends.

1.5 Scope and Limitations of the Study

This study focused on how the University of the Easts students are

adjusting to the loss of the CAS building and will not discuss any other

personnel, staff, and employees.

This study also allowed the researchers to determine whether this

particular group of students are affected by the loss, also to know whether

they are negatively affected or positively affected.

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 1.6 Conceptual Framework

Burning of the CAS building

Students
Student affected
s negativel
affected y
positivel

5
 REA
SON
R

HowNthey
are
coping
up
How they
are
affecting
the other How the
students university
with their can help.
positive
(Students
attitude.
suggestion
s)

1.7 Assumptions

The researchers expected that many, if not all, of the participants

of their focus group will state that they are slowly recovering from the fire.

That they are adapting with the new environment and new setup given the

circumstances, this new setup includes the new schedule of their classes.

The start of classes now in the university is on 7:00 am which was

originally at 7:30 and the regular classes, now, extend until Saturday.

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 The researchers assumed that even though its really hard coping

up with the new environment, the students will find a way to take the given

circumstances and make the most out of it.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Accommodation is a convenient arrangement; a settlement or

compromise.

Arson is the crime of intentionally, deliberately and maliciously

setting fire to buildings, wild land areas, dumpsters, vehicles or other

property with the intent to cause damage. It may be distinguished from

other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires.

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Arson often involves fires deliberately set to the property of another or to

one's own property so as to collect insurance compensation.

Disruption is any disturbance or problems that interrupt an event, activity,

or process.

Effect is a change that is a result or consequence of an action or other

cause.

Facility is a space or equipment necessary for doing something.

Suffering is the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship.

Chapter II

Review of Related Literature and Study

2.1 Foreign

Rebekah Wilson and Vanessa Woodly, entitled The impact of

school fires the results were devastating at first, because of the need of

everyone involved to cope up with the loss, but at the end, schools, if

given the right support will be able to stand back up and recover from any

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loss it had. Studies performed by Pauline Wade, David Teeman, Sarah

Golden,

The data stated in the following report are from a study undertaken

by the National Foundation for Educational Research in England. The

report begins with a brief exploration of available data (and other

information) related to school fires in different parts of the world.

Each year in the United Kingdom there are estimated to be

between 1400 and 1800 fires in schools, the costs of school fires has

been rising from $49 million to $67million. A survey in 2006 by the Arson

Control Forum of 938 schools found that 43 percent had suffered at least

one of the fires. Proportionately, the highest cost of school fires occurs in

the South East London region. Metropolitan areas experienced higher

rates of school fires and suffer the greatest cost. Damage can affect exam

results, mean temporary accommodation is needed and results in the

damage as a result of rebuilding of the schools.

Although leaders and officials ensure the continuity in teaching and

learning, the schools had experienced some negative impact on teaching

and learning. One of the main reasons is the lack of enrollees, although

almost all of the past students are able to enroll, the lack of new comers is

affecting the schools badly.

Schools had strategically prioritized minimizing any problems for

the pupils and yet they perceived a negative impact on the outcomes.

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 Loss of facilities and the use of temporary accommodation,

together with loss of teaching and learning resources and completed

school work, were the main outcomes of the fire that hit directly on

teaching and learning in all four schools.

Also, the emotional impact of the fire to staff, students and the

community was on the main impacts of fire and was still felt years later. In

response, school staff had focused maintaining provision and on

supporting the students, as necessary.

The team of Wade stated that although in all cases, it was clearly a

priority of school staff to minimize the impact of the fires on teaching and

learning, overall, interviewees in all four schools considered that there had

been some detrimental impact on educational progress as a result of the

fires. Interviewees comments in all of the schools showed that most pupils

did lose some days or weeks of education while schools were closed

and/or they had needed to travel to alternative accommodation.

Regarding assessment, senior leaders mentioned that there were

initial concerns about pupils undertaking examinations at one primary

school and the secondary school visited. These groups of pupils were

given priority and extra support.

One primary school made great efforts to ensure that year 6 pupils

undertaking key stage assessments did not lose any days of education by

sending them to a neighboring school, while pupils in other year groups

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remained at home. Nevertheless, senior leaders had mixed views as to

whether or not examination results had been jeopardized as a result of the

fires.

The head teacher at one primary school thought it was possible

that key stage assessment results had been affected, and at the other

primary school, the head teacher said key stage assessment results were

lower than expected due to the disruption.

In the case of the secondary school, for year 11 pupils undertaking

exams in PE, the situation was made easier because the groups were

fairly small, and most of their theory work had been completed. However,

the head of department thought that the year 10 students had been more

seriously affected and that their eventual GCSE grades were probably

lower than they should have been.

In the special school, the senior leader interviewed, thought that

pupils had just about caught up after two years. Although there was

particular concern for examination classes and maintaining academic

standards some of the teachers said that one of the saddest impacts of

the fires were the classroom displays and archived work that had been

lost.

In the special school some things could never be replaced, like the

work done with the artist in residence, and in one of the primary schools,

pupils were particularly upset that they had lost their display work and the

folders they kept with all their best pieces of work from each year.

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 The impact of lost facilities and the use of temporary

accommodations, which is similar to what our university is suffering from

now was also one of the problems, as expected. As one of the students,

the researchers would like to know if their experiences are the same as

the others or if any similar to what other students are experiencing.

Their study however focused on the point of view of pupils younger

than the target universitys affected age group, the extent of any

educational impact was said to be dependent on the rooms and facilities

that were damaged or destroyed, as might be expected, and the

consequent use of temporary accommodation.

The facilities affected by the fires at case-study schools varied

consider ably and presented varying challenges to the school staff. In one

case, most of the school was destroyed and the site was left derelict; the

school subsequently operated from a site originally intended to be

temporary but was still located there at the time of the visit.

The assistant head teacher at this school thought the site had

limitations compared to the old school. She explained that part of the

current site had been initially derelict and the rest had been functional but

in decline. Furthermore, she explained that, since the site was a disused

infant school, it had required extensive alterations in order to provide for

pupils with SEN.

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 At another school, the area affected by fire included an entire PE

department, and fire at third school had destroyed an ICT suite, a library

and a nurture suite. Outside play areas at this school were still out-of-

bounds at the time of the visit as they were being used by builders to store

materials.

One of the primary schools also had to relocate to a disused school

for a year, due to extensive fire damage. Pupils were eventually brought

back to the original site, but into temporary cabins, while the school was

undergoing a substantial rebuild. The head teacher at this school

explained that there had been difficulties at the temporary site since there

was limited space to maneuver and the school had functioned without

corridors, cloakrooms and a hall large enough for the whole-school.

Even though the school had re-opened after extensive repairs,

problems with entrances and doors were still causing disruption and the

school field was still out of use at the time of the visit. Generally, perhaps

due to their temporary nature, alternative sites were viewed by pupils as

not very good. For instance, one year 5 pupil remarked of the relocation

site that people didnt really settle down there very well and another, who

was still having to use a temporary site at the time he was interviewed,

said: It does not feel the same here we wanted to go back to the old

school.. Interviews at this school with staff and pupils indicated that the

current site in particular lacked PE resources, outside space and science

equipment.

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 Pupils in one primary school, who were in year 3 at the time of the

fire, remembered that the toilets were not nice and there was only one

computer for a whole class. Even when pupils returned to the original site,

they said the cabins had been cramped and some very damp.

The children described the feeling as sad, weird, and strange

which also showed and impacted on their performance in school. if in any

case this would be how our Universitys students feel, then its safe to say

that the same results will occur.

Although there were a lot of work involved with the recovery of the

schools mentioned, school staff were content with the information and

guidance that they had received and valued the contacts that they had

with the fire service especially visits and talks by fire officers and training

in fire safety, fire risk assessments and audits.

Staff in these schools that had suffered a fire said that they were

now much more aware of fire safety issues and, following their experience

of a fire, generally reflected that they needed a more comprehensive

incident recovery plan. Staff in schools and local authorities tended to

consider that effective security measures were the first line of defense

against a fire, given that most school fires are as a result of arson.

However, in three of the case-study schools the fires were

accidental and security measures did not prevent the fires from spreading

quickly. While there was considerable support for sprinkler systems

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among fire professionals, pupils, parents and the community, some staff in

schools and LA officers were more circumspect.

Fire officers considered that reticence in installing sprinkler systems

was based mainly on concerns about costs and a misunderstanding of

how sprinklers worked. This perception was supported to some extent by

the interviews with staff from schools and local authorities who expressed

concerns about expense, accidental operation of sprinklers, water damage

and electrical fires.

This study shows that help from within the society and outside their

circle can improve any disastrous calamity that may hit our community, it

may take long to recover but eventually, with the help from everyone,

emotionally we, too, will recover.

Chapter III

Research Methodology

3.1 Participants

A total of thirty (40) students, which consists of twenty two (22)

participants who are Male and the other eighteen (18) are Female,

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enrolled this semester in the University of the East, Manila comprised the

target population.

3.2 Instrument

A ten item survey questionnaire was used in the study. Since the

researchers scope is very precise, the researchers went directly to asking

how they felt about the loss of the University of the East, Manila building.

1. As a student from the CAS department, are you affected by the loss of

the CAS building?

2. How are you affected by this?

3. What are the things you miss about the building?

4. Are you satisfied with your room assignments?

5. If not, why?

6. Are you willing to adjust with the loss of the building?

7. Are you adjusting well to the new environment?

8. What do you think contributed to your well adjustment?

9. The university created a pathway from the SFC building to the

Education building through the garden, are you satisfied with this

construction?

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10. What other construction, etc., if any, do you suggest for the betterment

of your stay here in UE?

3.3 Procedures

The survey questionnaire was personally distributed to the selected

focus group. Because the researchers anticipated that not all students are

willing, they first asked if the participants are willing to answer the

questionnaire.

After reading the first part, which was a summary of what the

research would be about, and after the participants agreed, the

questionnaires were given. The researchers decided to do the survey five

(5) participants at a time until they complete all forty (40) students.

All the participants who agreed were given 10 minutes to answer

the survey form, majority of the participants answered them quicker than

anticipated but the researchers made sure that any questions from the

participants about the survey were answered.

Chapter IV

Presentation and Analysis of Data

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 This chapter presents the analysis of data and other pertinent

information regarding the findings.

Table 1. Gender of the respondents

Gender Number Percentage

Male 22 55%
Female 18 45%
Total 40 100%

Table 1 shows the gender of the forty (40) participants, twenty-two (22)

were male and eighteen (18) were. All are University of the East students

who are enrolled this semester.

Table 2. Age of respondents

Age Number Percentage

16 years old 4 10%
17 years old 8 20%
18 years old 8 20%
19 years old 9 30%
20 years old 8 20%

Table 2 shows the age of our target group.

Table 3. How the students are affected.

How are they affected by the loss?

Students Percentage
Positively 12 30%
Negatively 28 70%
Total 40 100%

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Table 3 shows how much percent are affected positively and negatively by

the loss of the building. We can see that 70% of the students are affected

negatively which is higher than those affected positively.

Table 4. What they miss most about the loss.

Negatively Positively Percentage

affected affected
E. Learning 9 2 14%
AVR 10 1 14%
Other equipment 8 2 13%
Lepanto gate 14 6 26%
Batibot 15 4 25%
Nescafe booth 5 2 8%
Total 61 17 100%

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The researchers asked the students if they are satisfied with their room

assignments and the majority said no. The next table shows a list of

reasons why they are not satisfied.

Table 5. Reasons

Number
Because of the distance of their 19

rooms
They are not familiar with the 5

rooms in other buildings

They forget where their next 15

class would be
They are assigned far from their 20

friends room

All the 40 participants answered that they are adjusting well with the loss

of the CAS building, and to the new environment, even though there were

hardships at the start of the semester following the fire.

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Table 6. Reason for well adjustment.

Reason Number
It has been almost 6 months 24

since the fire

Professors help 8
Friends 17
They can cope easily 5

For the final question the researchers asked them if they were given a

chance to suggest any additional constructions to the university heads,

what would they be? Since this was an optional question, not all

answered it but a few had ideas.

Consider these examples:

Elevator

A new Batibot

Escalator

Lost and found

CAS building

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 Chapter V

Conclusion

The following chapter concludes this report. A summary of the

research is presented, and findings of the study are discussed and

interpreted. The significance of this research in the impact of the burning

of the CAS building to University of the East Manilas students, has been a

very talked about topic in the university, whether it be from the university

staff, professors and of course its students.

The scope of the following conclusions is limited to the context of

this research paper. Thus, applied to other situations, these conclusions

may have incorrect assumptions.

Summary of Research

This study observed how the loss of the CAS building affected the

universitys students and how they are coping up with the loss. 70% of the

focus group stated that they are negatively affected by this, may it be

because of their room assignments, the loss of the equipment needed for

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their course or because of the emotional damage the fire brought to our

student population.

The university staff has been a great help with the adjustment of

students, all of the 40 students we talked to are pleased with the

construction they made in order for them to have a better stay in the

university.

The majority of the focus group also stated that they are adjusting

well to the new environment and also majority of them said that its

because the fire happened almost 6 months ago, they are moving on well.

So overall the impact on them was hard at the beginning but, in this case,

time healed the wounds that were acquired from this experience.

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Arson Control Forum (2006). Survey of School Fires (Research Bulletin

10). [online]. Available:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/874/BulletinNo10Surveyofschoolfires_i

d1504874.pdf [21 August, 2007].

Arson Prevention Bureau (2002). School Arson: Education Under Threat

[online]. Available:

http://www.arsonpreventionbureau.org.uk/Publications/Files/EducationUnd

erThreat.pdf [21 August, 2007].

Arson Prevention Bureau (2004). How to Combat Arson in Schools

[online]. Available:

http://www.arsonpreventionbureau.org.uk/Publications/Files/School

%20arson%20leaflet.pdf [21 August, 2007].

Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, 2011.

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Wade, P., Teeman, D., Golden, S., Wilson, R. and Woodley, V. (2007). The

Impact of School Fires: a Study of the Wider Economic and Social

Impacts on Schools and the Local Community (LGA Research Report

3/07). Slough: NFER.

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