Education in Today’s World- I Had No Idea (Week 8)

 

            After reading both of the articles for this week, the only thought that truly came to my mind is reflected in the title-I had no idea. I had no idea that while a country’s educational system appears to be functioning and making efforts to expand it is in fact alienating its lower class and depriving its teachers of pay. I had no idea that while young girls appear to be bettering themselves by getting an education they would also be selling their bodies just to make ends meet. I simply had no idea of how, while we would like to believe we are making advances in education, we have in fact not nearly begun to scrap the surface of achieving worldwide education.

            The article “Education: It’s Not Just About the Boys. Get Girls Into School.” made some crucial points about the importance of educating girls. One fact that resonated with me is that “Women in the developing world who have had some education share their earnings; men keep a third to a half for themselves.” I cannot say this surprised me, but to see it written in black and white somehow made it hit home. Thinking back to the numerous organizations we have discussed, I realized that women like Suri Man, Sunitha, and Usha Naryane are all examples of women who have given back to their communities. I imagine that, if these women had all received a higher education, they would indeed be sharing their wealth with their community. It seems so obvious, and yet I had never stopped to think about what education, something so easily taken for granted here in America, could mean for these women and others throughout the world.

            Another factor that encourages the education of girls is the health benefits. The “Education” article also stated that “When girls go to school, they marry later and have fewer, healthier children. For instance, if an African mother has five years of education; her child has a 40 percent better chance of living to age 5”. 40% is a huge percentage, and could mean the reduction of so many of the health risks women face in other countries when bearing children (such as fistulas). The education of girls would also reduce the rate of infection from HIV/AIDS, because educated girls are, “three times less likely to contract HIV/AIDS.” I mention these facts not to convince you that the education of girls is important (I feel that, as a class, we generally share this belief) but to reiterate some of the immense benefits education would have for girls and women, benefits I myself did not think about until reading this article.

            While we all may be on the same page in terms of education being essential for the development and improvement of countries the world over, there are many challenges that I for one was not aware of. The article “The Decay (or Disintegration) of the Educational System” relays some shocking information about how far the educational system has to go in many countries. One challenge to the educational system was particularly surprising to me because it relates indirectly to education. According to the article, “the fall in the prices for tropical products on the world market - like coffee, cocoa, tea and cotton - has either directly or indirectly affected the families because the state's revenues have decreased and civil servants can no longer be paid.” It makes sense- if a country or states income is drastically reduced, any state-funded programs will suffer as a consequence. Yet again, I simply had no idea that the prices of certain goods could have a direct correlation to the diminishment of the education system.

            The final piece of information I would like to discuss is the treatment of teachers that is highlighted in “The Decay” article. While I knew American teachers were not the best treated professionals in the world, I had never stopped to consider how much worse it could truly be. For example, the teacher on the outskirts of Cameroon told the reporter of how “he had not seen his salary for the past months” and went on to describe how his teaching relies on three old books and his memory from his own education. On top of this massive challenge, the teacher also discussed how he could no longer visit the families of his students because the also-unemployed parents of his students would “regard such a visit like begging”. The stories of this teacher and others made me extremely sad; I could not imagine being completely broke because the school I was employed at could not pay me. In addition, many of the teachers interviewed for the article maintained that if they asked about the money they were owed, or if they stopped working due to lack of payment, they would simply be fired and would never receive their pay anyways. As a future teacher, I hear many warnings about how little I will be paid. However, I am fortunate to know that I will be paid, and that there are unions and laws that protect me and my colleagues from suffering as these teachers in other countries do.

            My question for you this week is this: If you were a teacher, and the American government decided they could not afford to pay you for an undisclosed amount of months, would you continue to teach? How would you survive and provide for your family while waiting for a paycheck that may never come? These are questions I have considered after reading these articles, and I’m interested to hear what others in the class think.

Sources:

Berstecher, D. & Carr-Hill, R. (1990). Primary Education and Economic Recession in the Developing World since 1980. New York: Unesco.

Education: It’s Not Just About the Boys. Get Girls Into School. Sep 19, 2008 8:00 PM, Newsweek