Get the children to school

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The disclosure of the Superintendent of Schools of Negros Occidental about the decrease in enrolment of last year's Grade One pupils should ring alarm bells among our local officials and civic leaders.

According to Superintendent Eva Belicena, as reported in local media, 13,312 of the children who started the first grade last school year have failed to enroll for the second grade this year. We cannot predict how many more will fail to continue on to the third grade next year, but it is very likely that the number will increase further.

We believe this is an alarming development because it means that less and less among our young children will be able to go on to higher grades, to high school and eventually, college, after which they will have a better chance to improve their lives and status in the community.

Sadly, this is one problem for which we cannot totally blame the government. To its credit, our government, over the years, has granted more and more opportunities for the young people, such as free education and in some cases, even free books and school supplies. So the problem of tuition fees and other school dues are no longer borne by parents who, in their poverty, would never be able to send their children to school otherwise.

The same trend has been noted in high schools, where enrolments are also going down. What is appalling are the findings that there are parents who purposely keep their children from school because they utilize them to help earn for the family upkeep. That is why child labor is also thriving in this province.

All the same, we believe the attitude of school officials who go out of their way to encourage parents to send their children to school, is very commendable. If our other officials and civic leaders would take it upon themselves to help in such campaign, we may, perhaps, get more children educated, keep them away from bad company and crime, and ensure for them and their communities a better future.*