Despite budget freezes and cutbacks

I WAS in for a surprise when I went to get my daughter’s card during our school’s card giving this third grading. My daughter, Amber, is in 7th grade under the Special Program in the Arts (SPA). Their classroom was brimming with remarkable, original student work. There was an array of beautiful creation and masterpieces all made by young and budding artists. There were posted work from writing, drawing and painting workshop. The entire classroom was replete with brilliant artworks that perpetuate a joyful and creative classroom environment. It was a concrete indication of arts and culture in the academe, a totally vibrant sight.

It was no other than the Secretary of Education Armin Luistro who emphasized on the significant role of culture in education. He said that arts is the manifestation of culture. He said further that culture and the arts, taken as one valuable aspect, is part and parcel of the learning process. Without culture and the arts, education will never be a reality.

Students in the SPA are composed of young artists with aesthetic potentials or special aptitude in the arts (Music, Visual Arts, Theatre Arts, Creative Writing, Media Arts and Dance). My daughter is one who elects to work with visual materials as well as gravitates to kinaesthetic opportunities. Just like other parents I am happy to see that my girl is growing in competence in terms of her talent. Most parents want appropriate things for their children in school. They want them to grow, to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses, to find the classroom exciting, and to wake up eager to go to school the next morning. Indeed we can transform our classroom into creative environment and make our classes havens for learning.

The hearts and minds of children are wide open to the wonders of learning and the fascinating complexities of life. The important thing seems to be: kids will surprise you with their curiosity and resourcefulness and aptitude if you will just let them.

Unfortunately, the government’s commitment to improve the quality of teaching and student performance of the talented students under the special programs through the annual allotment of a P500, 000 subsidy has been put to oblivion. The previous years had been empty. Budget freezes and cutbacks seem to have become the norm in Philippine education.

Fortunately, there are still amazing teachers and awesome students creating magic in classrooms in defiance of budget cuts, government mandates, and political machinations.