Education must be the major concern of every Filipino.
One of the most fundamental mechanisms for the development of a country is education. It Plays a major role in empowering individuals who will in turn contribute to their country’s socioeconomic and cultural sustainability. By empowering, education should serve to equip an individual with skills, knowledge and values necessary to develop oneself as responsible person in the society. Education is a basic human right, vital to personal and societal development and well being.
It is the best weapon against poverty, thus, the slogan, “Isulong and Karunungan Laban sa Kahirapan” rise as blueprint to our education system. The economic problem of the country is directly related to the quality of the education system.
Over the past decade, access to education has always been a hot issue which attracts a lot of attention from the government, educational institutions, and local and international agencies. The main concern is how we can provide a greater access to education for all Filipinos, especially those disadvantaged and deprived ones who live under the poverty line and in the far-flung areas.
With the President Arroyo’s last statement during her meeting with the youth leaders from different regions underscored that Education, in particular, is taking a front seat in our budget this year as part of three E’s – Economy, Education and Environment – “the essential building blocks of our nation.” Education is included in this social payback because no other issue is more important to Filipinos now than education. The opportunity to avail of quality education affords the youth who belong to the next generation, to live a prosperous life. With P200-billion budget for the Education the government should invest in the following areas (http://www.gov.ph)
Underprivileged pupils in pre-school should receive rice under the Food-for-School Program;
Additional pre-schools;
New classrooms; although a number of school are found to be operating in certain rural and remote areas, however, some of those schools are considered to be disadvantaged schools which do not have good roofs, good floors, good walls, drinking water supply, and latrine facilities;
Updated new textbooks and other reading materials;
New motivated and competitive teachers;
Allot funds for teacher training in Math, Science and English;
A provision for salary increase for teachers (we are know that we are already realized it in the middle of the coming school year)
Adopt-A-School Program is pro-poor movements that will help ensure access to quality education for the Filipino youth.
We all know that a limited budgetary resources and rapid population growth have limited improvements in basic education services.
The important role quality education plays in liberating the next generation from poverty and promoting a life of hope, optimism and prosperity. Education is a core value of the Philippine society and family life that every parent must be willing to make sacrifices to be able to send their children to school finish it all the way and get a college diploma. We must relaize that the fight against poverty is not entirely pointed whether in public or private schools’ teachers and administrators, but also the parents, the community and even the non government organizations are responsible for battling against education’s chronic enemy….poverty.
By: Ester J. Gaddi | Master Teacher I | Dinalupihan Elementary School | Dinalupihan, Bataan
