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vol. 1 (5)   *   July 31, 2001

July 31, 2001   *   vol. 1 (5)

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enough of the best and brightest. Maybe with few exceptions, but generally they would rather consider other professions that do not only provide better material compensation, but also higher social prestige, and more elevated sense of self-worth. As it is, even the second best and the not so seek jobs abroad because of hard times. Ordinary organizations cannot do much about their pay hikes, but they can help in elevating the teachers' social esteem and confidence. Socio-civic clubs should continue honoring the best among the private and public school teachers annually, or nominate them for nation-wide contests like TOWNS or "Bayani ng Bayan", and others. They should keep on sponsoring workshops and teacher-training programs to improve teaching skills. Scholarships can also be granted; not only to deserving and deprived students to school or universities, but also to teachers who wish to pursue further schooling.
     Close coordination or linkages with needy schools or agencies has always been flourishing provided there's a genuine agenda. Donation of basic and legitimate textbooks, dictionaries, teaching equipment; old computers will certainly go a long way, too. Let us not think that we are not directly involved in this problem, but it's our future leaders who will carry the full burden if we will not do something caring soon.   

Call to Order                          Pres  Richard Dy
Invocation &
   Four Way Test               Edwin B. Fernandez
National Anthem                           Dindo Astom

Rotary 101                                  PP Albert Dy

Welcome and
   Greetings                                 Terry Bugarin

     The sad state of Philippine education is leading us to a national crisis, indeed. Every July, the nation is persistently bereft with usual problems: lack of classroom, school buildings, textbooks, and even teaching needs like blackboard, erasers and chalk. Where there are teachers, many are under qualified. Our grasp of English has been slipping, and our students have been faring poorly in international tests on science and math. Such problems result to an uneducated citizenry ill prepared for a highly competitive job market.
    The quality of Philippine education, according to DECS, has steadily deteriorated. Much of the problems have been attributed to our sorry kind of politics - corruption, lack of aggressive national commitment and will to solve problems, inappropriate priorities of the lawmakers. Poor education has already weakened the nation's most precious human resource. As there are no signs that we have not elevated our political maturity yet, expect that the slide in our education cannot be halted anytime soon, too. However, small things can be done by anyone, and change can start from us.
     Formal education's launching pad is not in the school. During a child's formative years the most favorable educational environment is a home, with nature's nurturing teachers we call parents. They should always have time to develop an incessant curiosity and wonder to every child embodying the knower, who just does not normally ask "why?" but even more critically, "why not?" Parents should be encouraged to learn to effectively edify values to their children and to load them with the much-needed information.
     In the school where the metamorphoses of acquired knowledge transpire, the teachers play pivotal role; therefore they should come from the best of citizenry. Teaching no longer attracts