Year in and year out, our pupils have always been confronted with the same problems during school opening – lack of classrooms to accommodate a ballooning class population, insufficiency of text books, deficiency of desks and chairs and a myriad of other physical deprivations that obviously contribute to the deterioration of the quality of education in the public school system. Last night, I asked my household help how her kids’ first day at the Palo Central School went and she said she pitied her children so much because they had to hold classes in rooms covered with canvas sheets which tripled the heat and made the kids grumpy. One of her daughters had to join half of the class standing along the sides of the room as there were not enough chairs for everyone. Neither was there a decent blackboard mounted upon the wall but only a makeshift writing board which was a remnant of last super typhoon Yolanda’s wrath. She said it makes no difference if it is sunny or rainy. When the sun is up and the weather is hot, the grounds dry up and the kids get exposed to dust and heat while on rainy days, the grounds can be muddy and sordid that the kids have to trample upon puddle and muck while trying to evade water dripping from overhead leaks emanating from marred canvas. My heart goes out to these children who must struggle to focus their attention on the lectures while fighting the heat, the noise, the over-crowdedness and other distractions that may affect their learning. I am also concerned about the repercussions that these dismal conditions have on the health of our children who may possibly develop lung-related diseases like cough, asthma, pneumonia or worse, tuberculosis. My household helper though, have other things to mind. She is worried because the parents through the PTA will again be asked hefty class contributions to fix the room, have chairs and desks constructed, buy ceiling fans, blackboards, school supplies, and other “fancy” projects that will once more burden the parents. On its part, the DILG has been tapped to spearhead the PROJECT RAY (Regions Affected by Yolanda) which focuses on the repair and rehabilitation of government structures ravaged by the recent super typhoon. Phase I of the project dwells on the municipal buildings, executive halls and other important structures in the municipal level and have already been launched. In fact, construction in the municipal levels have already began. Phase II focuses on barangay halls, day care centers and civic centers or those structures in the barangay level. As of today, the rehabilitation plans of the various barangays whose major structures have been badly affected are already being finalized for submission to DILG Central Office. As of last week, LGUs have been required to submit a list of damaged school buildings, roads and bridges to DILG. Probably, this will compose Phase III of the Project RAY. I am also thankful to some entities in the international community who continue to selflessly aid Region 8 as we gradually rise above the ruins of Yolanda. This afternoon on my way home, I saw in Dagami and Tanauan countless school children walking by the sidewalks with blue backpacks marked UNICEF dangling on their backs. I heard that some institutions have also distributed water bottles, school supplies and have donated tents as temporary classrooms. World Vision, for one, is constantly monitoring schools to adopt child-friendly practices. Child Fund Philippines have also started its workings in the LGU of Dagami where an orientation on Child 21 has already been spearheaded. Hopefully, with these developments, I would like to believe that help is on the way for our pupils who brave through the elements just to endure school, fully believing that education is their key to have better lives. Too, I have faith in our children that they can overcome these obstacles and finally emerge as victors rather than victims. Ten, fifteen or twenty years later, they will look back and exclaim with pride, “Things were difficult at the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda, but look, we made it through grade school, high school and even college!” I know it because I am a product of the public school system, particularly my beloved Luntad Elementary School, and I am a witness to these varied physical deprivations which, during our time, did not matter to me at all. We enjoyed drinking water straight from the faucet using our cupped palms, eating nutribun and ice candy, playing by the rainwater that gathered into a pool at the playgrounds (which they said was schisto-infested) and sharing our text books with our classmates because there were not enough copies for everyone. Yet, we never felt deprived and even got adapted to the fact that difficulties are but normal and that, sacrifices have to be made if we were to achieve success. For us, it was just a matter of getting used to. Of course today’s conditions are different because aside from a larger population, the after math of Yolanda is simply too overbearing, coupled with the fact that now more than ever, the ugly head of climate change is brandishing itself before us. However, these obstacles are nothing compared to the resilience of the Filipino spirit. Mariah Carey encapsulated it all in her song, “coz when you feel that hope is gone, look inside you and be strong, and you’ll finally see the truth, that a hero lies in you.” Arise and shine, little heroes!
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 14:57:17 +0000
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