Public vs. Private School: Does It Really Matter?

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Public vs. Private School: Does It Really Matter?
By a Proud Raphaelite

Earlier today at CD-R King, while waiting in line, I overheard a group of students from a public school having a loud and inappropriate conversation. I didn’t really listen closely—honestly, I didn’t want to—but I caught enough to know it wasn’t something you'd be proud to repeat. Then, a student from a private school walked in, and the tone shifted.

“Pok!” one of the girls shouted.
“P*k p*k!” the other replied. (You get what they mean.)
“Midbid nyo an?” a boy asked.
“Dae,” one girl responded.
“Bua talaga kamo,” he replied.
Then came the strong statement:
“Dae man mili taga-private school, bako p*kp*k.”
Another girl added, “Grabe man mgani magmuda mga taga-private. Paghuna ninda kun sisay sinda. L*si ninda!”

They continued bashing private school students, making sweeping generalizations. Eventually, they got bored waiting.

“Ate, pwede iwalat mi na muna? Jan man lang kami,” one asked the clerk.
“Dalhin nyo na muna,” the clerk replied.
“Baka pagbalik mi, mag-alat na naman kaming aluyun!” she said with a laugh.

We all know that there has always been an unspoken competition or comparison between public and private school students. It’s not new. While I never personally experienced conflicts like that in high school—probably because I avoided places where that type of crowd usually hangs out—I’ve heard stories from friends who weren’t as lucky. And the question always boils down to:
“Who’s better?”

I’ve been asked many times why I never tried studying elsewhere. As many of you know, from kindergarten to High School, I studied at St. Raphael Academy. I was raised and shaped there, surrounded by religious mentors, guided to become a good leader, and trained in proper manners and conduct. I had no intention of leaving, even when I passed the BUHSET in Grade 6. I simply loved being a Raphaelite.

But now, as a student at Bicol University, I finally understand the real reason I stayed. It was difficult at first. The environment was a shock. I saw students gambling, cursing, smoking inside the classroom, and occupying rooms that honestly looked a bit intimidating. That’s when it hit me:
“So this is what it’s like in public school.”

Thankfully, BUCENG changed over time. The administration implemented stricter policies, and the campus eventually started to feel like home.

So when I’m asked why I stayed in SRA, my answer is no longer just, “Because I love my school.” Now I say:
“I didn’t want to lose the Augustinian Spirit in me.”
I was young, and I knew that if I left then, I might be influenced by the wrong crowd. I was afraid I’d change, but not for the better. I wanted to continue living the ARSCian way. I couldn’t bear to miss worship, moments of sharing, and the strong bond of the SRA family.

Looking back, I know I made the right choice. When I entered BU, I didn’t begin a new life—I simply brought with me the values I learned from SRA. I didn’t let myself be influenced to do things I knew would get me in trouble. I remained true to who I was.

Now, about the public vs. private school debate:

It doesn't matter where you came from. What matters most is your attitude.

If you're from a private school but act uneducated, boastful, or rude, then your parents’ money is going to waste.
If you're from a public school and behave like those students I overheard—loud, disrespectful, judgmental—you’re only proving people’s negative assumptions right.

To Private School Students:

“Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues; hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist, there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” – St. Augustine

Be proud, but never boast. Use what you’ve learned to serve others. Share your light, and never dim someone else's.

To Public School Students:

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” – Mother Teresa

If you’re being judged unfairly, stand up for yourself—but with dignity, not hostility. Don’t feed the stereotype; break it.

And for everyone, remember this:

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson

Let’s stop asking “who’s better?”
Instead, let’s ask: “How can I be better—not than others—but for others?”

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