One act that will make a difference
"Think of it: every educated person is not rich but almost education person has a job and a way out of poverty. So education is a fundamental solution to poverty."- Kathleen Blanco
It is a fact that basic education is a key to eradicate poverty. However, the portion of children out-of-school is proliferating. There is an alarming upsurge in number. Three top reasons are early marriage, lack of interest to attend school and insufficient family income. These reasons are all roots of poverty.
First the prevalence of early marriage in most rural and urban place can be due to illiteracy. It may vary from social, cultural and various reason, however, the core still lies to lack of education. Manifested ignorance takes the rights to make rightful decisions. Boys and girls are denied of opportunities which made them take the option of early marriage.
Joanna, 14 years old, is a patient in our clinic. She has two siblings, her dad is a construction worker and her mom left them when she was 5. She is 5 months pregnant on her first born.
She drops out-of-school when she was 9. Her father takes all the responsibilities yet insufficient to provide daily needs. Without knowing of what awaits her, Joanna choose to escape through early marriage. Self-awareness is not instituted to this young girl because she was out of the basic education that may hopefully could have help her make rightful decision for her future.
Second is the lack of interest to attend school. Disturbing reality of poverty. There are documented government projects to increase yearly budget on education, yet do not fund or look for strategies that will address the issue.
As I relate this matter to present, Galileo is an exact example of what I am pertaining to. Galileo is an enrichment program that aims to motivate children and build confidence through giving them supplemental help. The program target market are social class A and B. In our survey enrollees of the program also attend private school with tuition fees ranging from 50,000- 150,000 pesos yearly. Yet, these kids flank most of their core subjects simply due to lack of interest. This kids are provided most of what they are needed. Alongside their gadgets and access to portals that may aid learning, they still manage to lose interest in education. This only implies that if these kids who do not struggle from hunger, who have comfortable beds in their own room, who do not have to sell Sampaguita in the street, manage to loss interest amidst luxury, how about the unprivileged ones?
And last but not the least, insufficient family income. Disparity of incomes and unemployment leads the children to feed their mouth over their mind. If basic education is not acquire most likely these kids won't step to the next level. Undergraduates won't have the same privilege as those who had their degrees. A matter of footstep but can be life changing for anyone who sees the value of education amidst insufficiency.
As Nelson Mandela quote "Poverty is not accident", It is man-made and can be removed by human being." This imply that we have a choice. There are successful stories about a doctor from the most rural place who graduated as suma cumlaude or a lawyer who pass the bar exam amidst working as taxi driver. They are not threatened and hindered by poverty. Think of every educated person who have dissent home, stable job, and food in their table to eat, and now, think of every person you knew who struggles to have at least 2 meals a day, sleeps in the comfort of street at night or worst accepts delinquent job because they lack options.
Now I challenge you, What is that act you can do to make a difference?
Thank you for listening.
Good evening
Janelle Ann Pineda-Bansil
H110064
Dear Prof. Jorge,
Sending to you my speech about poverty and education.
Thank you.
Janelle Ann Pineda-Bansil
No comments:
Post a Comment