A LOOK TO THE FUTURE

MARY JANE L. MACASPAC

Our society today has the potential productivity capacity to provide the time and resources for education of a larger proportion of youth to a late age and in turn requires this expanded education successfully to carry on its line of development. On the basis of these facts it appears inevitable that the expansion and upward extension of youth education will continue. Only in the context of condition long past, or by postulating a social-political revolution that will completely alter the trend of Philippine events, can any other prediction be logically defended. The actual rates of extension and expansion and the precise number of years needed to reach a given condition are certain to be influenced by the various short-term factors that influenced our economic and social life. But in the long run these do not substantially affect the ultimate ends toward which our society is moving.

Youth education today must be planned toward the end of serving all youth through the conventional high school to approximately the age of eighteen years and the time for planning for a majority of youth to continue their education beyond this stage, either higher education or in growing number of part-and full-time terminal educational programs of less than university extent, is at hand. The nature of the educational program of youth education are problems that will need to engage the best and fullest effort of educators and public. The time has passed, however, when there is really a genuine issue concerning whether this country can or should provide universal secondary education and an expanding program beyond that level. The nature and needs of our society and our times leave no real choice.

— oOo—

The author is Teacher II at San Roque Dau High School, Lubao Pampanga