The Power of Education

March and April are months of graduation.

Wikipedia define graduation as the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the associated ceremony. The date of event is often called degree day. The event itself is also called commencement, convocation or invocation.

Last night, my kids and I attended graduation celebration of their cousin Lerem who graduated from highschool (his brother Ashley will be graduating today from elementary), afterwards, I approached her mom to congratulate her as well.

I believe that not only the graduating kids should be commended, we should also acknowledge the parents for their efforts, support and patience in providing the best education possible for their kids.

The importance and advantages of having an education is known to everyone. The job or work you will have in the future depends on the level and quality of education you had. Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality and for laying the basis for sustained economic growth.

Many of our parents or elders especially those who belong to lower class were not given the same opportunity in terms of gaining an education that we enjoyed or are now enjoying. This is the main reason why they have worked so hard to finance our schooling, so seeing us march on the stage to get hold of the rolled paper known as diploma is their biggest accomplishment.

I can vividly remember a story narrated by my father to me & my siblings. It’s something that happened back when he was still working as mechanic operator in Saudi Arabia. His bosses appreciated his excellent performance and they wanted to promote him, however, when they reviewed his record, his educational background did not suit the position. He finished a vocational course in auto mechanics. They just gave him a pat on the back for his performance but not the promotion. He told us this story to motivate us to value education and finish a college degree and we did not fail him. My brother, our eldest, is a registered Mechanical Engineering and is currently managing a machine shop business actually owned by my father. I finished Business Management and Entrepreneurial course and working as a QA Analysts in a BPO center here in Pampanga. Our youngest graduated from a 4 year secretarial course and is now presently working as secretary in Qatar and happily married to a civil engineer who is a native of Cebu.

I commend individuals who strive so hard to finish school not only for the sake of their parents but mainly to become better persons/citizens and have decent job in the future.

I admire the well off people who extend financial assistance to organizations providing scholarship to deserving kids.

I have high respect to our teachers for unselfishly sharing their knowledge and committed to their career as educators even if they are receiving low compensation.

My hope is that everyone regardless of financial status and gender will believe in the power of education.

My heartfelt congratulations to the graduates of school year 2007-2008.