On youth empowerment and access to education

To Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, the youth is the country’s hope. But given the recorded 61 million children worldwide who are out of school, I ask myself if Rizal’s eminent adage is still idealistic with today’s seemingly aloof access to education.

DEPRIVED. Access to education can reduce poverty and promote youth empowerment.

Education is a basic human right; it is a fundamental key to success, as the saying goes. I believe that it is also an imperative factor in the holistic development of youths. Having an affordable and accessible education will nurture them to fulfill their endeavors. It will give them the opportunity to develop fully themselves.

Education, more importantly, serves as youth’s indispensable tool against ignorance and poverty. That is why it is so alarming that millions of youths are being deprived of education and literacy, which also means that they are also being denied of their full potentials. Youth empowerment is at risk, therefore.

Thus I think there is a strong connection between youth empowerment and access to education. Youth empowerment basically means helping the youths realize their full potentials and enabling them develop their capacities to make a change in the society. Their access to education gives them the opportunity to know the larger fulfillment of their human potential and meet their basic learning needs; therefore, if they are deprived of education, how can they realize their potentials? How can they fully participate in reducing poverty and help in promoting economic growth? How can they work productively? How can they live the life they aspire?

I studied in both public elementary and secondary schools; I experienced the perennial problems of education such as lack of facilities, textbooks, and teachers. I am firm in saying that there is a great need to strengthen further the access of youths to education. Make it universal. Make it accessible. Make it an education for all.

Moreover, the year 2015 is aimed to ignite a worldwide change in education. It is supposedly the year of the “Education For All” – the onset of universal access to affordable and quality education. Three years from now the 61 million out of school children are expected to be at school. BUT looking at what we have now, this 2015 goal, either needs to be re-scheduled or needs to be taken more seriously and vigorously. 

Education has the innate capacity to change a youth’s life. Pursuing an education for all implies gearing every youth for the future and preparing them to partake in solving societal problems. Their access to education is a requisite in achieving development through youth empowerment. This will surely reaffirm Rizal’s belief that youths are the country's hope, and they still are. I am still optimistic that time will come that everyone will have the chance to go to school and experience an education for all.