TWO WORLDS MEET

Five years ago, I received a phone call asking me to report in a particular public elementary school. I taught in a private school for two years and decided to teach in a public school afterwards. Public and private educational systems are two different worlds. The infrastructures are far different. Private schools have complete facilities while in a public school lack of classroom is a prevailing problem. Books in private schools are overflowing in numbers to that extent that the library cannot accommodate them. The standard teacher-pupils ratio is being met in a private school classroom but a major problem among pubic school classrooms.

All needs are provided in a private considering their number and tuition fees that parents pay. On the other hand, public elementary schools get funds from the national government. As a teacher, I was able to live on these two worlds. The tuition fees being paid by the parents in the private schools are the lifeblood of the institution. But they are minimal in number. Public schools receive allocation from the government but caters learners more that its capacity which makes these resources limited since all is being served. In my case, I chose to teach in public school in spite of these prevailing problems because I myself is a product of public school educational system. For me, it is the right time to pay back what was given to me by returning it thru service or teaching. It is when the two worlds meet, I have to chose where to live. I chose to stay where I am right now. Facing struggles to serve my fellowmen thru teaching. — oOo— The author is Teacher III at Malpitic Integrated School, Division of City of San FernandoEASING