The Lack of Education Hinders Us to Move Forward

 By: Princess Pauleen M. Guiuan

"Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource". A quote from John F. Kennedy, where generally depicts that without human knowledge, there would be no sign of hope in a nation. In the Philippines, countless problems are circulating including the issue of the Lack of Education. According to ISSN (2019), the Lack of Education is where poor quality education and poverty are fostered in children. "Education continues to be an elusive privilege for millions of children around the world today. More than 72 million primary school-age children are not in school and 759 million adults are illiterate and do not have the ability to improve their own living conditions or those of their children. " 

By raising our voice, we can use any means to this way. First is by addressing the problem itself. What factors cause a lack of education?

• Poverty: This has been a major issue in the Philippines that doesn’t change until now. If there is poverty, other issues would also arise, just like the lack of education. Poverty and lack of education are big issues facing the world; the concern is that low-income households do not send their children to school. Even if they wanted to, there are no suitable schools. Government schools do not give a high-quality education, and students that attend them wind up working in low-wage occupations. Low-income families are less likely to be able to afford healthy nutrition, and they frequently lack basic household essentials. These families may be forced to send their children to school without breakfast or lunch due to a lack of financial knowledge and poor salaries. According to a study, not eating enough lowers the brain's ability to learn, and kids who are malnourished cannot do as well as their peers.

• Pandemic: According to Childhope (2022). “Due to COVID-19, education issues in the Philippines have increased and received new challenges that worsened the current state of the country. With the sudden events brought about by the health crisis, distance learning modes via the internet or TV broadcasts were ordered. Further, a blended learning program was launched in October 2020, which involves online classes, printouts, and lessons broadcast on TV and social platforms. Thus, the new learning pathways rely on students and teachers having access to the internet.” Hence, most of us, Filipinos, do not have enough access to this blended learning. The lack of electronic devices, (particularly the WIFI, computers, phones, etc.) is also a factor that hinders someone’s want for education.

• How can we address it to the public?

  It would be either having a campaign that aims to solve this particular issue and would ask for the public's assistance. Second, social media platforms since this one help a lot nowadays. Lastly, more seminars from the different LGUs to communicate with the residents and hear their concerns and issues.

This problem can be addressed by using social media platforms to inform people all over the net about the problem that needs to be solved. Moreover, by supporting and/or joining NGOs (Non-profit organizations) that intend to help and want to make a better change in our nation. 

Article XIV of the Philippine Constitution contains the State philosophy and principle of Education, it is stated that “The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all”. Where the government aims to grant education to everyone and to offer high-quality basic education that is accessible and serves as a basis for lifelong learning and public engagement. Although there are still flaws in the government that we can observe today. This is why I hope they would continue to build a system that empowers the youth which means helping them reach their full potential because, during these times, they need aid from those who can help uphold the rights of the less privileged. These include kids in the streets and their right to attain quality education.

I was born and raised as a Filipino, therefore, I am proud and happy for who and what I am right now. I appreciate and value everything from the smallest to the biggest things that I have inherited from my mom and my grandparents. In addition, being a Filipino made me more respectful, responsible, honest, hospitable, etc., which makes us unique from any other nationalities. In return, I will make sure that I can return what our nation has provided us, and I will strive harder to make it more progressive.