Since I was a child, I always wonder about the life of ants, because I used to see them walking in one line and carrying food heading to their colony at any time. So, do they sleep? Where are their parents? How do they communicate? Do they have hierarchy?
Ants have highly evolved social systems with three different castes – queens, males, and workers. The workers are female, but cannot reproduce. Most of the eggs the queen lays hatch into workers. Workers spend their lives tending the eggs and larvae. Other forages for food and defend the nest. A study in University of Florida revealed that workers take an average of 250 one-minute naps each day, which is four hours of sleep. In contrast, the queen takes 90 times of 6-minute nap each day for a total of nine hours of sleep. As a result, queens can live six years, whereas workers live six months to a year and then die of old age or by some accident.
Similarly, in our society we observe status branding and system. According to the ASEAN Trade Union Council, the Philippines has the highest rate of economic and social inequality in Southeast Asia. This problem is not limited to personal wealth, land distribution, educational and vocational opportunities and basic welfare programs are also affected by the growing disparity between the Philippines’ richest and poorest citizens.
Usually, those in the lower class of the society can easily feel the social stratification and inequality. Particularly in the middle of this pandemic, the education system has been gravely affected. In effect those who have the means to any modalities do not face big problems, and those who belong to the lower class, face problems of how to learn effectively. Perhaps this is the reason why the Department of Education decided to postpone the class opening for school year 2020-2021 from August 24 to October 5.
All these issues should be carefully and properly built into the educational system for the new normal. And while we applaud the determination and dedication of our education sector, we must secure ways to properly build a strong foundation of education towards equality in our society, because we are not insects, we are humans.
By: Maria Azuncion Perez | Teacher III | Olongapo City National High school
