As a child, I remembered my father telling us his vision of us. He wants all of his six sons and daughters to see us as successful professionals someday in our field of choice. But I waited for the time he’ll give us time to study or the feeling that he sees our attendance in contests as a means of achieving this goal but, I was frustrated. That time didn’t come.
I was able to read my first word through my grandfather’s guidance. At two years old, he has started introducing simple words to me until the time I was able to read a complete sentence. He let me entered preschool when I was two and had to bring bottle with me to the school. After 3 years attending the same preschool, my mother noticed my boredom so she has to convinced the principal at the local public elementary school to accept me in Grade 1 with the condition that I had to go back if can’t catch up. Fortunately, I was able to catch up and that was the start of my formal education.
We were poor and had no access to electricity so school assignments are made beside the fireplace or with the aid a lamp but this didn’t change the love of reading I had. There were times when I was able to join contests and was able to win them. I was a consistent honor student. I saw the pride my grandfather and mother with my achievements, however, I was longing for the same reaction from my father.
My father was a fisherman and a college dropout, not because he lack the interest to go to school or he lacks the knowledge but because of poverty. He has to look for job while attending college to support himself and a brother. Later on, he prioritized his brother to graduate and then never had the chance to continue with his studies afterwards. I was always wondering if he was ever proud of our school achievements. He wakes me up and my brother at four in the morning everyday to go to the field and take care of the cows and pigs. In the afternoons, immediately after class, we have to look for the pigs food and come home at around 7. Once home, chores are waiting until such time that we are exhausted enough and sleep. Homeworks are left undone. Because of this, what I do is bring the homework while going to the field and do them there.
When planting season comes, he lets us get absent telling us that having something to produce food is more important than sitting in the classrooms. He never attended school recognition rites. I cannot say that he is ignorant because he reads the bible, almanacs, and novels every spare time he has.
I never understood his behavior towards schooling until one day. He was drunk and called me. He said, don’t think that I am not proud of the achievements you have at school. As your father, I am very proud of the smallest achievement you have, but I have reasons why I am doing this. Education he says cannot only be pursued inside the classrooms alone. Classrooms can only give you 5% of the education you need in your lifetime. According to him experience gives you 95% of what you need. Furthermore, he says that although attending school is very important and must be granted every child, it is also important for a child to know how to deal with actual situations so that when they meet obstacles later in life, they will be able to face these squarely and not theoretically. He says, he wants us also to be educated and exposed to the realities of life to be able to value things that we have. Being responsible and knowing your responsibilities are very important for him.
After the short session with him, I was able to understand fully his attitudes towards attending school. I was able to appreciate the education I have. Not just book bound but I am educated as well with actual experiences. I was able to appreciate and value the education I have that not all are privilege to have.
Six months after the short session with him, my father died and I appreciate the small talk I had with him. I had proved that learning through experience is as valuable as learning from the books. The kind of education he instilled in me has made me want to capable of pacing with life’s realities. Outside school, there is continuous education. Education for me is not only solving mathematical problems, reading classic literature, or writing book reviews but it is the totally of what you experience in and outside the classrooms. Gaining a college degree will soon help me find a job that can decrease our poverty but when doing the job, I know that education and attitude I get from my experience will get me to do whatever job I have well. In actual life, you cannot approach a problem by the book it is based from book and your attitude towards it that makes you overcome it or not.
