For Whom Is Education?

For Whom Is Education?
by:
Ma. Rowena M. Bayrante


It’s saddening that not all could afford to be educated. Some would earn a living first to feed their hungry stomach. With the very high cost of living it is not surprising that people in the lower strata of the society would not want to be educated. For the less privileged like them going to school is just a luxury. If this is the case then who would go to school? Are the rich who have more than what they need? Or the middle class who have just more than enough. Or the poor who have nothing?

Even if the government provides free and compulsory education for elementary and secondary, not all could follow the provision. With the high tuition and miscellaneous fees in prestigious universities like La Salle and Ateneo only a few could study in these universities. Even UP which is supposed to be a state university has increased its tuition fee to as much as 300%. The middle class chance of having access to these prestigious universities becomes very slim. Only the well to dos is left with lots of choices.

With this situation, the rich becomes richer and the poor becomes poorer. Inequitable distribution in intelligence, material things and even privileged would be very evident. Many people will become illiterate due to poor comprehension. English proficiency will ultimately decline because not all would be able to understand and use the language correctly. Even access to technology would be scarce. Only those who can pay would have greater access. Knowledge gain through technology such as internet would be monopolized and not distributed.

It is quite dismay that in a country like the Philippines which has the cheapest cost in education not all are given the same opportunity to be educated. Very few scholarships are being offered to less privileged but talented students. More of the government’s money is allocated to insurgency problems, infrastructure and other senseless things. That’s why many Filipinos are illiterate. That is comprehension is very poor even if they know how to read and write. This is probably the reason why Filipinos are always the victims of oppression and abuse whenever they go to other countries. They could hardly understand what is stated in their contracts and very seldom do they know of their rights.

With the escalation in the number of cases of abused Filipinos here and abroad, the government should have done something about this. However, no one is interested to file a bill that would protect Filipino workers here and abroad. It is frustrating that for them who were voted to their respective offices, all of them seem to have acquired amnesia. They are too preoccupied with quarreling with one another, getting even with somebody and aspiring to become heads of different committees that when they are through their terms are already finished. Then if they can’t be depended upon then who else will we depend on?

Will we need the intrusion of the foreigners like the volunteers such as the Peace Corps who are very much willing to extend a helping hand? Or the help of Catholic and other missionaries who are always ready to serve? Or the providence of the Almighty God? Whatever, the choice will be only one is certain, that is if we can not find help here in the Philippines then there are too many who are willing to help. But in spite all these I am pretty sure that education will still be the prime and only solution. So let’s get educated for it is only in education that we become rich in mind and spirit. Let this be a call for those who have lost interest in schooling. Let poverty not be a hindrance to education, for if there is will there will always be a way. We’ve got to think positive that whatever we can not do we lift it up to God. For he will always be there to help us. All we need is just to have faith and trust in Him. Because for so may times when we were at the lowest point of our lives He did never abandon us.