EDITORIAL - Why bitch about wages when you ignore education?

Today is Labor Day and, as expected, all talk will revolve around workers benefits, whether these involve better wages or better working conditions. The truth of the matter is, all these things, given the right circumstance, are quickly addressable.

Perhaps it is time our attention shifts to something more long term, such as education. Education is that one major investment which, given the proper care and attention, can assure great dividends for both business and labor.

Unfortunately for everyone concerned, the problem with education is that it has not been given the proper care and attention. This is readily evident by the kind of graduates Philippine education had been churning out year after year.

Even the grant of better wages and the availability of suitable working conditions cannot assure a healthy economic environment if their beneficiaries do not merit them. The only really workable recipe for success is that in which all the ingredients are of the best quality.

The highest salaries and the best working environments will not assure optimum and quality production if workers suffer from an infirm educational background. And if optimum and quality production cannot be assured, then competitiveness falls and the business fails.

It is therefore imperative for the country to invest heavily in the field of education. It must pour money not only to improve the skills of teachers but, more importantly, to lure the best minds into the teaching profession.

We cannot be nonchalant about teaching. We cannot go on pretending that somewhere down the corridors of education the students will learn to fend for themselves. Good quality education needs a solid foundation of good quality teachers. There are simply no ifs and buts about it.

The trouble with this country is that we keep on bitching about finished products but never bother to check whether the production process is configured to meet exacting standards. Unless we put things in proper context, we will remain to be the has-beens of Asia and the world.