I COULD still remember vividly my mother telling me to value education for my own advantage in the future. She explained to me why I should do well in my studies and from that day on, her words have never escaped me. It continuously struck me until now.
For us, Filipinos, knowledge is commonly acquired through education. Although education can be obtained inside and outside the school, we still believe that the primary sources of knowledge are the four-walled classrooms and the things our teachers impart to us.
Earning a college diploma means acquiring more opportunities in the future, may it be economically or socially.
Indeed, the ambition of every Filipino family is to send their children to a good school regardless of the sacrifices it might entail. But what is happening in the Philippine education today? Is the situation alarming for our future generation?
The state of the educational system in the Philippines today is a great worry. Before, we used to produce students who are well-equipped and ready for the challenges in the real world. Today, for every 10 children who start in the primary education, only six continue with their secondary education and only four of them graduate and enter college.
Some stop schooling and find a work with very minimal opportunity. Some do not have opportunities at all because graduates are much more preferred.
What happened?
Before, other countries used to send their children to the Philippines to learn. Now, the reality is that they have overtaken us.
It is frustrating. I hope that the people and the government will make some sense about the decline of our educational system.
In this event, I realize that my mother was right. Education is and will always be important.