Education: The great equalizer

Tuesday, November 11, 2008



MANAGING FOR SOCIETY
By Evelio G. Echavez
Education: The great equalizer


Being in the academe for more than 2 years now has given me the opportunity to interview college students. Whenever possible, I would ask them what they consider as the major problems of the youth today. Many of them would answer that it is the difficulty of getting a good education because of financial problems. I cannot avoid remembering the words of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, who said that “the youth is the fair hope of the Fatherland.” His words are relevant today as they were during his time. If the Philippines have to find progress and prosperity and ensure a bright future for her citizens, she has to make sure that her young people are taken care of in terms of their education and well-being.

The National Artist for Literature Francisco Sionil Jose in a paper he read for the clients of a banking institution said: “some 15 years ago a survey showed that half of all grade school pupils dropped out after grade 5 because they had no money.” They are now our young adults who would have difficulty in finding appropriate jobs. We used to have one of the highest literacy rates in the world. That has changed now. And because many of our young adults cannot find jobs and raise their families properly, the vicious cycle is repeated in the generations of their children and grandchildren . . . unless the present generation is able to do something to arrest it.

While elementary and high school education is free in public schools, college education is a different story. Even in state- and local government-run universities and colleges, students have to pay tuition and other fees. And even if it involves only a few thousand pesos, if one has no money at all, it becomes insurmountable. The financial aid coming from government is simply not enough. It would be good for government agencies involved in the education of our youth to review their programs and find out how they can provide appropriate assistance to a greater number of deserving students.

I have met many successful executives, some of them presidents of big corporations, who came originally from poor families. And yet because of hard work and their having the needed education, they have been able to attain success. Education indeed is the great equalizer. Individuals, businesses and other organizations can help our deserving young people by providing scholarships and other material support for the schools’ operations.

Many years ago, one of my sons suggested that we sponsor the college education of a neighbor’s son whose father wanted him to quit schooling to help the father in raising garden plants for sale. After 5 years of engineering studies in a state university, he first worked as an apprentice abroad then returned to the country and landed a supervisory position in a prestigious company. Now, he works with a large telecommunication company abroad and is helping the family financially and in sending his sibling to college.

Another student was about to stop schooling since the family could no longer afford to support her in her last year of engineering studies because the father fell ill. Now, she is gainfully employed and has been helping her parents financially and in sending her siblings to school.

Both are just two cases of competent students who were given the opportunity to continue their studies through benefactor-provided scholarships. After obtaining their degrees, they are now paying forward their good fortune by helping their families financially and assisting their siblings get proper education as well.

This is one area where the private sector can invest in social responsibility programs which is certain to create a virtuous cycle since proper education is almost always empowering and liberating.

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Evelio G. Echavez is a student in the Doctor of Business Administration program of the Ramon V. Del Rosario Sr. Graduate School of Business of De La Salle University- Manila and is the Dean of the College of Business Administration and Accountancy of the Baliuag University in Baliuag, Bulacan. He accepts comments at egechavez@yahoo.com.