Education Is A Privilege That We Shouldn’t Take For Granted

When I was a kid, my mother always told me to finish my studies no matter what because it is the only legacy that they could give to us. As a kid raised in a strict family, the only choice I have is to study well. Education was introduced to me in a not so friendly way. It is understandable since parents have their own parenting styles in helping their child learn.

I learned basic reading, writing, and calculations when I was 3. My parents noticed that I was learning and improving faster than my brother so they put their high expectations on me. I started kindergarten at the age of 4, kindergarten II at the age of 5, then I proceeded to 1st grade at 6.

Looking back, I spent 8 years on primary education including kindergarten I and II. At that age, education doesn’t matter to me. All I know and all I want to do is to go to school and have fun with my friends. I’ve met kids my age who don't go to school but I haven’t thought about them then since I was able to.

I was scolded every time I got a score lower than 88, while my brother is safe from scolding even if he got a score lower than 80. They understand him more since he’s a slow learner. Every day after school, I can’t go and play directly since I need to finish all of my assignments and projects with my mother watching me while holding a stick.

Every weekend I spent 2 hours reading aloud by myself, then another 2 hours of mathematics and computation with my father who slaps my hand every time I made a wrong answer, then another last 2 hours for spelling and reading with my mother. After that I am free to go and play all I want as long as I go home before 6 pm. My brother experienced this too but they are more strict on me.

Because of these, I never liked education before. I always wonder why my parents are very strict to me while it’s different when it comes to my brother. But then I must admit that because of their teaching style I always try my hardest to learn and to aim high. Because I was afraid of scolding, I always tried to maintain my grades until I graduated, and until now I was in college.

I then realized why my parents did those things before. It is not because so that we can get high grades and a lot of awards, but because they want us to realize that we should be grateful that we were able to study unlike those other kids. So, I must do my best to learn something not just for the sake of going to school but for the sake of having the privilege to obtain education.

I just hoped my brother realized it too before dropping out of school during his 2nd year in college right after my mother paid his tuition. I hated my brother for that since he knew that we are broke and my parents work hard to find money to pay his school bills but then he just dropped out of school the day after his tuition was fully paid.

My mother was being criticized by my aunt for having a son like him, so she told me to finish my studies so I won’t be criticized by our other relatives. What happened really ignited the fire in me to get a diploma. Not just so I could save my brother and mother’s face but also to give her a good life. I am really praying to God to make my brother realize how important education is.

Education is the most important tool a person can receive. It gives us the knowledge around us and it develops our perspectives in life. It can also help us lessen the challenge we may face in life because the more knowledge we gain, the more opportunities will open for us that allows us to achieve better.

It is not just all about knowledge since it also builds our opinions and point of view on things in life, helps us to develop moral values and positive thinking, it can also affect our attitude in both a positive and negative life.

However, you couldn’t really push education to a person if he himself doesn’t have a high regard about it. My parents forgave my brother and just forgot all the money wasted. They encouraged him again to go back in school and choose the course that he truly wanted but my brother refused and didn’t even falter. Maybe all he wanted to do is to play mobile gaming on his phone for the rest of his life.

I hope he’ll realize that it is not every time that our parents are beside us. Time will come that we need to stand on our own. I’m afraid about what would be his life then. Or what if something will happen to me? Since we didn’t know when it would be our limit, it is always in my mind. Can he take care of our old parents or it is the other way around? Or can he even provide for himself?

I am worried since it is my brother. I won’t complain if I will be the one to provide for them. But does he even have a dream for himself? Maybe it is really the will of a person who has a dream for his future can’t take education for granted, and how he views his life in his perspective.