In the documentary, we were exposed to the practice of placing two or three grade levels in one classroom, simply because there weren't any other schools in the barrio. In some cases, a barricade is placed between two parallel sides of the classroom in the hopes of developing two different rooms. But this doesn't work. There would be times when the teacher is having a discussion with her grade one pupils while her grade two pupils take a test. This method becomes distracting to the latter, and will most likely result to poor output. Or, a teacher will be discussing in one classroom while another one discusses in the next room. This might actually be worse because both classes now cannot concentrate on their lessons. The students will have to endure this bargain.
The decrease in the number of teachers is becoming a growing problem in our country. No teachers, no students. Also, there aren't many teachers who would choose to volunteer in the remote areas of rural Philippines to teach only a handful of students without much support from the government. That would be a win-lose situation with the teachers gnawing at the short end of the stick. In the documentary, we met only one or two teachers for each different documented barrio. This is a big deal; these people are eventually hailed as fallen angels by the native elders.
This is the most distressing problem because one still cannot figure out how this could possibly be resolved. Both teacher and student, regardless of medical status or stature, endure a three-hour travel (by boat or by foot) just to get to the nearest school. Emphasis on “nearest”.
In the documentary, the kids didn't have notebooks, much less a piece of paper to write on. This simple school necessity is substituted with banana leaves, which both teacher and students also pick by themselves on their way to and from school. And, instead of a pencil or a pen, they write with coals. This is an extremely hard practice, and I could only imagine so much. Books are already out of the question. This problem cannot be neglected because when a classroom lacks these vital tools for teaching, then most hands-on activities will not be possible, hindering whatever creative processes our left brain imposes on each and every one of us.
Due to financial worries, most kids cannot go to school. Some of them even have to stop, increasing the number of dropouts each year. This is a sad undertaking for those students, especially because they seem to be the ones who enthuse about learning. Then there is the curious case of hand-me-downs, which isn't relatively wrong. But, when I watched in the documentary the siblings who exchanged shoes as the other was on his way home and the other only on the way to school, as a fellow youth, I felt extremely sad, as though all the evils in Pandora's box enveloped around that moment alone, and there was only sorrow and sympathy to hang on to. There are those who have to repeat a grade level again and again because they can't finish a schoolyear because of money troubles. Some of these kids have to work, even before the classes themselves begin.
What can I, as a youth, possibly do?
It would seem that numerous documentaries have already been created to voice out these concerns. Evidently, Secretary Armin Luistro has a few ideas, but when will these sentiments be presented and implemented in actuality? We can't let learning wait anymore. If our adults are having a hard time concocting a solution, what more are the youths, such as myself, capable of?
These days, I can only consider one major thing for us, youths, to do for situations like these, and that is to write. Write to the newspapers, write to the government offices, write to the President. We write until someone listens. The power of the word is a very sharp and influential tool, but we don't get to see that as much. If we actually get these writings out there, maybe some act of God be kind enough to help because, obviously, the youth cannot always be there in the remote parts of the country to say, build a school, or teach. We simply cannot shoulder the problem with the decreasing number of teachers and the distance between home and school.
Perhaps, we could have a fund raising! If we earn enough money from this activity, then maybe we can have another classroom or two erected for the kids. Perhaps we can have it built near their houses so that they don't have to travel anymore. Anything seems possible. Better yet, we can donate. It wouldn't hurt to give our crayons, old notebooks, or pencils to the rural areas; I'm sure it will be greatly appreciated. Child sponsorship is probable – this is what my adviser in high school is doing to an estranged relative, and it has done the kid wonders – but perhaps that is a little too outlandish?
I wish I could say something else, something profound. Anything that might seem insightful to see past this social issue. But right now, unless a deus ex machina shows up and the government doesn't strain its neck too far anymore in aiding with these problems, I can only let things be.
Dahil bukas nakatakda ang Intramuros walk ng kolehiyo, nagkaroon ako ng galimgim para sa hayskul. Malimit kong naalala ngayong araw na ito ang aming sabayang pagbigkas noong isang taon na talaga namang nilupig ng aking pangkat: ang bibong-bibong Senior-Barangay Mabini, na hindi namang inakalang magwawagi. Kami rin ang nagrepresenta sa lahat ng Seniors para sa celebrasyon ng Linggo ng Wika sa aming paaralan. Nanalo din kami doon, kaya naman proud ako sa Barangay Mabini. Unang beses kong mawala sa pinakamataas na pangkat ngunit napunta naman ako sa pinakamagaling na pangkat. Naks!
Because of its nonexistent air time in my country and because of my option to stay at a dorm, I have been missing RAW and SmackDown! a whole lot. So I went to check out what has been going on in the Universe and this commercial greeted me at the WWE homepage. I found it rather amusing. I wish I can have the time to see more of this.
Here are other videos that put a smile on my face today:
