Alarmed by a recent United Nations study that shows the Philippines being far from meeting its goal of providing universal primary education by 2015, Liberal Party Senatorial candidate and educator by profession 'Teacher' Neric Acosta emphasizes the need to urgently address issues and concerns directly related to education.
The UN study has also shown that the Philippines has yet to come up with educational reforms to improve the quality of education that the poor receive. In fact, even if the Philippines' income level is four times that of Tanzania and Zambia, it has a lower net enrollment ratio than those two African countries. And while Tanzania and Zambia have increasing net enrollment ratios, that of the Philippines has stagnated.
"This is an urgent issue, especially in the most marginalized areas in Mindanao--where the quality of living remains at a dismal state and violence is still rampant," Acosta stresses.
"Hindi baril at bala ang kailangan ng Mindanao kung di balarila. We really need to emphasize that providing access to education is an integral and irreplaceable component of the peace process."
'Teacher' Neric Acosta, a scholar of the East-West Center of the University of Hawaii and professor at the Asian Institute of Management and Ateneo de Manila University, is also a staunch advocate of teachers' rights.
During a recent meeting, Acosta was told by teachers' groups that their concerns include securing a provision for a 15-day sick leave; protecting their insurance, benefits, loans and retirement system (particularly with the GSIS); assisting teacher-victims of extra-judicial killings; and allocating a bigger budget for the resolution of shortages in teachers, reading materials and necessary fixtures and facilities.
"We need to safeguard the rights of teachers and address their concerns. They remain noble workers committed to the betterment of the youth and society as a whole," says 'Teacher' Neric Acosta.
Follow us on: