Education as core commitment
EDUCATION and learning are the most essential processes in today’s society. Human beings today need to have a specific set of skills to survive in this competitive world as well as in order to progress. This set of skills can be referred to as education. It goes without saying that unless a person is educated, he or she cannot get a worthwhile job. Let’s face it education provides greater opportunities for people. The lack of education can sometimes limit an individual’s opportunities for growth and progress.
At present, underemployment is one serious factor that impedes the economic development of our country, thus posing as a hindrance to the growth of the nation. The economic status of so many countries in the world is pitiful, due to the lack of educated people who do not possess adequate skills and thus are unemployed. A lot of evidence point to the importance of education in achieving economic prosperity.
Education is not just good for the person who becomes educated, but also for everyone around him. When citizens are more productive, they are able to contribute to the economy in ways that benefit others. They also become less likely to need public assistance when the economy is in a slump and so on. Economist call these beneficial aspects of education “positive externalities”, because so many of the good things that education creates are enjoyed by others.
Given the enormous benefits of education, it is important for a country’s people, acting together through their government, to increase the amount of spending on education beyond what individuals would choose to spend on their own. Our country made a great move in making tertiary education free in all government colleges and universities because not everybody can afford higher education. Part of government money should be utilized to pay for the college education of promising young citizen. I know that at this point in time it is utopic to demand for all schools to grant free education but I am hoping, along with many others, that the cost of education in the Philippines will decrease without compromising standards so as to accommodate everybody especially the poor.
This way we provide the rest of us the opportunity to share in the prosperity that is possible when young people are enabled to reach their potential. Education should continue to be a core commitment of our society.
By Pilita B. Sabit