My UCSP Prof. gave our section a task it is is to the answer the question, is education a rights or a privilege? But, before I answer this question. Let me define what is education, rights, and privilege.
What is rights? Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory. Rights are of essential importance in such disciplines as law and ethics, especially theories of justice and deontology. Rights are often considered fundamental to civilization, being regarded as established pillars of society and culture, and the history of social conflicts can be found in the history of each right and its development. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, "rights structure the form of governments, the content of laws, and the shape of morality as it is currently perceived."
What is privilege? A special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group. The concept of privilege refers to any advantage that is unearned, exclusive, and socially conferred.
What is education? based on britannica.com, Education is a discipline that is concerned with methods of teaching and learning in schools or school-like environments as opposed to various nonformal and informal means of socialization (e.g., rural development projects and education through parent-child relationships). According to oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com, a process of teaching, training, and learning, especially in schools or colleges, to improve knowledge and develop skills.
Now, that we all know the definition of education, right and privilege. Let me answer the question. Is education a right or a privilege? Basically, Education is a rights it is under the 1987 Philipline Constitution Republic Act No. 9155 Section 2. It declares the policy of the State to protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality basic education and to make such education accessible to all by providing all Filipino children a free and compulsory education in the elementary level and free education in the high school level. Meaning every Filipino has the right to study and learn and the State need to provide a budget for that. But although, education is a right it also became a privilege, Why? Because many Filipino couldn't afford to go to school even if its a public school. Why? because even you study in public school still, the public school needs requirements such as learning materials for everyday used and materials for projects and activities that many of the students cannot afford. Why would people prioritize it if they can't even buy their own food, right? Education became more privilege because of online class. Like, not all of the students afford to buy phones, laptops or even have an internet connection. A lot of parents lost their jobs and they will prioritize more on their daily needs such as food, water and electricity than education. Many students had to stop even they don't want to. Many students lost their opportunity. Some of them chose to find a work to support their family. Some of them need to stay at home for their safety.
Now let me ask you, is education a right or a privilege?
source:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/education
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/education#:~:text=1%5Buncountable%2C%20singular%5D%20a,little%20education%20She%20completed%20her
https://www.definitions.net/definition/Rights
https://www.lexico.com/definition/privilege
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-bmcc-sociology/chapter/what-is-a-system-of-privilege/
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2001/08/11/republic-act-no-9155/
