The spirited horse

We have over three million students from grade school to the university level graduating this year. Last year, our country had a total of 1,817,549 elementary student graduates while public high schools nationwide produced 1,153,643 graduates. In the university level, we had a total of 517,425 graduates last year (according to the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education data). While TESDA graduated 1.5 million students from various tech-voc courses nationwide.

Out of the high school and university level student graduates, how many are still illiterate? People who cannot read and write. How many are functionally illiterate? These are people who have difficulty in reading, writing, speaking and computing. How many are now employed? How many are unemployed?

Believe it or not! There are people in this country who are able to graduate but are not functional. When such people start working they become a detriment or a baggage in the workforce. They do not contribute to the progress of the company. They are less productive and easily find themselves jobless.

The schools in most cities have definitely a competitive edge. They produce better students and better citizens who are able to contribute to our society’s progress and development. But as you go to the bundoks or to far flung areas, the problem gets deeper.

It is such a pity that up to now, education is still a problem in this country. And I say this because the Filipino youth has the potential. They have in them the innate qualities of becoming successful because of our culture and our character. We are a nation of hard workers with dreams and aspirations. Filipino parents love their children and teach them good values. We have a strong faith and persevere in life. Sadly, we haven’t given our people a good chance to fight illiteracy and poverty.

Our children are thirsty and hungry for knowledge. They want to learn. While their counterparts in different parts of the world take education for granted, the Filipino youth long for it. Unfortunately, for some reason we cannot satisfy this need.

I remember teaching in America for a year and the experience I had there was quite traumatic. The children seemed to take education for granted. Teachers have a difficult time with their students’ attitude to learn.  I bragged about the Philippines to my co-teachers and told them that when I return to the Philippines I will be in a safe haven because the Filipino child is obedient, respectful and long for knowledge. One does not have to struggle teaching in this country. As a matter of fact, it is a joy to teach. The only sad fact is that our teachers are not well equipped and are not properly trained to maximize the potential of our youth. Secondly, the quality of education (the curriculum) given to students needs a lot of improvement to meet international standards.

The young Filipino is like a ‘spirited horse’, full of energy and enthusiasm ready to explore the world beyond his learning environment. We must give them the right type of education so that they can become productive citizens of our country. Our education programs must be geared toward nation building.

Our country must move onward. We must be progressive, look ahead of the present day, and go ahead. Not to advance is to go back. The youth who is ever aspiring and toiling for greater heights, embodies the true spirit of a progressive humanity. His perseverance is invincible. We must take advantage of our ‘spirited horses’ who, will one day bring this nation back on its toe and bask in glory of being truly the pearl of the orient seas.

In this modern world, in the Philippines of today, it is a lamentable fact that men are departing from the paths of morality. Men scoff at honesty and mock at Religion. In their pride they think that it is a part of modern civilization and enlightenment to cast off as old-fashioned and tattered garments the old norms of moral conduct. Immorality, dishonesty, and impiety are contaminating our youth, they have invaded all classes and ranks. They have corrupted government officials who are the legal guardians of truth, equity and justice.

Many consider virtue as effeminate and an unnecessary handicap to success. They are indeed sadly, fatally mistaken in their notion of civilization and progress. To be immoral, to be without scruples of conscience, might be called progress if they insist on calling it so, but surely it is progress in the wrong direction.

Dr. Jose Rizal, the great patriot and martyr who fittingly has called our youth – “Fair hope of our Native Land” appealed to them when he said:“…Where are you, youth, who will, embody in yourselves the vigor of life that has fled from our veins, the purity of ideas that has been contaminated in our brains, the fire of enthusiasm that has been quenched in our hearts? We await you. O youth! Come, for we await you!”

And here again Rizal entreats the youth to keep burning in their hearts the fire of enthusiasm, the spur of noble ambitions, to acquire and possess that vigor so necessary to earnest and persevering endeavor, and finally to treasure in their souls that purity of ideas and ideals, which is the most precious element of true success.

Our youth have all these traits in their spirit. The problem lies in the adults. We have taken them for granted. We must create a good environment for them, one that will nurture their minds, their hearts and their spirits. Politics in this country should make the right turn and cease from being just a race to power and might. Politics is about service to the country and service to our people who will give this country a better chance to win in the race called life!