the best (and worst) of both worlds
this morning, i actually had time to read the newspaper. i happened upon ana marie pamintuan's article in the philippine star entitled the educational divide. hmmmm. it's true. most of our filipino youths are not getting the education that they are supposed to. kids in the public schools are given so little in terms of facilities, books and even instruction (let's not even talk about what their teachers are getting). and yet, generally speaking, these children are more conscientious in their studies.. more diligent.. more respectful than their financially well-off counterparts.
it's a bit depressing to see these things happening.. and yet, because of this, i can honestly say that i see my blessings all the more. i am not a product of a private school education. i received my high school, college and graduate diplomas from the university of the philippines. ok, so strictly speaking, UP is not really "public school." but neither is it a "private school." my university is a class all its own. it provided me with education at par (if not better) than what they give in private schools.. on a budget that would make one weep (hence we can identify with the public schools too).
for years i've been teaching in the UPIS. i've been aware of the sorry state of our facilities and the lack of financial support from the administration/government. i've witnessed how students and teachers alike go into lengthy discussions about budget cuts and other political and economic issues. i've also seen how all these things forced everyone to be more resourceful and more socially aware.
and i commend our students - all of them - because they are able to interact with all kinds of people. sure, they love their laptops and ipods (the very few who can afford these things). but they love their fishballs and isaws, too. they are content to hold their JS proms inside the UP campus. they are willing to commute going to prestigious contests. they do not have that "twang" when they talk with kids from other schools. our students can talk about anything and everything under the sun. their topics for conversation are not limited to the latest fashion trends or the best coffee shop in town. they have opinions about the government.. not just the newest gadget to hit the market.
am i happy being in UP? hmmmm. i'd have to answer no.. and yes. i am not happy with the way things are. i know that things could be a lot better. not just for our school.. but for all the public schools out there that sorely lack support from the government. i look forward to a time when we would have better facilities.. when we would have enough resources to provide our students with access to the internet, and our teachers with whiteboard markers (we buy our own). ours is a financially-challenged school. and yet..
i AM happy to be in UP. this took a while for me to realize. 9 years to be exact. i am happy because i also recognize that without these difficulties, my school - its teachers and its students - would not be the way it is. we may not have the riches that other private schools have. but UP has always produced the best (ok, sometimes worst) leaders our country has ever seen. my university has always been a pioneer for change.. and a mover of history. UP has always given its alumni a proud legacy.. in spite of the odds.
i think about UP and i smile. i think about UP and i shed tears.
i just wish i knew where i fit in all this..