Kaya Natin!

Complaints about school — nothing new there. It seems like a universal thing for students all over the world to groan when pulling out a sheet of pad paper and pens and be euphoric over class suspensions. Yes, it’s definitely a student thing, and it would be unusual if a student did otherwise.

However, this is not to say that we despise education. On the contrary, we rejoiced when we found out that we got into the school of our choice. We studied to take a dozen college entrance exams, and hoped and prayed for favorable results. It was stressful, but we did it anyway because we know the value of a good education. We might be young, but we’re smart. We’re Filipinos.

The results of those entrance exams, though, are only the beginning of a tougher load ahead. I was blessed enough to have the resources to go to the school of my choice, the Ateneo. Right after getting the ACET results, I didn’t have to stop and think about where to get money for tuition. My parents made sure of that.

If anyone would know just how important proper education is, it would be people like my parents. My mom was able to finish medicine through benefits her family received because her father, my late grandfather, was a war veteran. Because of that, she was able to establish a successful professional career and thus send me and my sisters to good schools.

Unfortunately, a majority of Filipinos do not have the same benefits. It is every child’s right and privilege to have a good education, but sadly only a small percent are really able to enter college.

Their reasons range from financial problems to family issues, even perhaps geographical limitations, but the fact is that not every Filipino has the same opportunities.

Equal chances

Pathways to Higher Education started in 2002 in the Ateneo as an innovative program to identify bright but underprivileged public high school students and provide them with equal chances at getting a college degree. Seven years later, it has over 500 scholars from different schools, and in the last couple of years has witnessed the graduation of 46 college scholars, ten finishing with honors.

The program implements a holistic approach to education. While we think of “education” as being “in school,” a good and proper education also includes the support and participation of the family, most especially the parents. Aside from academic enrichment and self-enhancement classes for the students to boost their self-confidence, Pathways provides channels in which parents can form mutual support groups to help each other and raise additional funds for their children through their Community Development Program. They are also taught values formation and livelihood opportunities development so that their child will not remain the sole glimmer of hope in their lives.

Indeed, education should not only be the concern of teachers, but of parents as well. Right parenting can do wonders for a student, for grade-schoolers and college students alike, scholar or not. Without pressuring them to excel or breathing down their necks every day, parents should provide support for their children’s education.

My mom is a living example of how education can be a road to a successful and better life. I was able to study at one of the best universities in the Philippines because of her and my dad’s hard work and perseverance in school and at work, and someday, my own children will also have a bright future.

Education should not persist in being a privilege to a select few. Thanks to programs such as Pathways, more and more Filipino children are given the same opportunities for quality education to hone their talents and abilities and thus are given a shot at having better lives. I believe that Filipinos are extremely talented and intelligent, especially given the right training. Our country will move forward if we do not depend on any one person to save us from our sorry situation, but rather help ourselves do more so that we may be able to help others as well.

So we might complain about homework, and we might begrudge our teachers for all those lectures, but at the end of the day, we all want to receive our college diploma, shake the university president’s hand, and march on towards a better life.

For those who want to support Pathways to Higher Education, please call them at (02) 426-6001 local 4048.

Karla Pastores graduated last March from Ateneo de Manila University with a BS Psychology degree and is now working as a program officer at the Ateneo de Manila University-School of Government. Comments are welcome at kai.pastores@ yahoo.com.