SECTION 439, Chapter 10, of the Local Government Code declared the period December 7-11 of every year as "Youth Week." The declaration recognizes the youth as the most valuable resource and asset of the nation. On their shoulders, rest the success of our efforts to build the nation into a strong republic. On them depends our future.
Education is the key that will help us realize our vision for our youth. Teaching them the duties of citizenry, civic virtues, and other positive values will create opportunities for the youth to acquire training and experience that will enable them to take over from us the task of running the nation.
The present situation poses a great challenge to the country’s educational system. In the 2004 National Educators Congress reported these grim statistics:
Only six out of every 1,000 grade 6 graduates are fit to enter high school;
Only two out of every 100 fourth year high school graduates are fit to enter college.
Only 19 out of every 100 public school teachers have confidence and competence to teach English.
Our country is No. 41 in Science and No. 42 in Mathematics among 45 countries in Asia;
One of every 8 schools has teacher-to-pupil ratio of 1:50 and above.
One of every 7 students does not have a classroom.
One of every 5 students does not have a desk.
One of every 3 students does not have single textbook.
The quality of our youth mirrors the quality of Philippine education. This quality has consistently declined. We are not investing enough in our youth’s education in order to make them responsible, productive, and self-fulfilling citizens of the future.
"If you want to know the future of the Filipino people," Dr. Jose P. Rizal wrote in his essay "The Philippine A Century Hence," "study their past." As we celebrate "Linggo ng Kabataang Pilipino," let us keep Dr. Rizal’s statement in mind and take extra efforts to meet the challenge to Philippine education today.
