By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
Last week, we posed the question on the state of our educational system. Why, even after more than 20 years the only different thing we can talk about is the implementation of the K to 12 program. Will it make a difference?
Perhaps. When will we feel the benefits? A 100 years from now?
But first things first. Are we really educating our people with the way things are? My favorite answer to the question on who is really educated comes from a mentor many decades ago: “Educated is he who has learned much, remembers much and applied (or can apply) these in practical life.”
If you studied engineering, then you should be able to apply engineering techniques in your environment. Our educational institutions had been churning out engineers by the millions for almost a 100 years. So why are we still an almost primitive agricultural country?
Because the bulk of those engineers were really not educated. They could not apply in practical life what they should have learned in school. Thus, we have few inventors in the engineering field. The state of our manufacturing sector attests to this. How many products do we have—conceptualized and being produced here that can compete internationally?
What we have in abundance that can compete internationally might be lawyers. But from our experience they hardly contribute in nation building or in having strong social institutions that can really withstand tests and temptations. Most of what we have are wishy-washy in delivering to the people what is expected of them. In short, the people running them are readily corruptible. As one justice of the highest court said when he was still a practicing lawyer, “Every judge has a price. It depends however if you can deliver the price.” Make that “every government officer” and you have a realistic picture of where we are.
We also hear about ‘morals and values’ in schools. But where are our morals and values? As of this writing, Senator Leila de Lima was just arrested for alleged violations of the anti-illegal drugs law. Her case is a good one. Whether or not her arrest was politically motivated, there are undeniable facts about it.
During her watch, high powered guns, luxury rooms and cottages that could put those of five star resorts to shame, drugs, prostitution, and gambling were ordinary sights at the National Penitentiary. It was practically being ran by gangsters being led by her very much younger driver-lover. She practically destroyed an institution.
She was an alter ego of the then President, and yet she committed immoral acts such as her amorous relationship with a married man very much younger than her who was her driver. Her defense of “frailties of a woman” just doesn’t cut. It might be OK for us ordinary souls but for one who was in her position, she should have had a very much stronger moral fortitude.
More so that she graduated from a well-known Roman Catholic school. Which brings us to the next point. What’s wrong with our religious groups?
Many schools are being run by so called religious leaders. But what are our youth coming out with when they graduate? As if they never learned the bad things about illegal drugs.
Yet there is something that changed. In the picture of the front page of this issue is PDu30 in what appears to be a leather jacket with no necktie. It was as informal as informal could get in a formal occasion. Bastos! Some might say. But it must be what we need. Since time immemorial we had been so concerned about formalities or conventions and look where it got us into. We are now the basket case in Asia.
Sincerity must precede formality. Let us however see if the President is really sincere in fighting corruption even with the impending acquittal of a very corrupt person, Janet Napoles.** (To be concluded next week)
