When a child demonstrates an unusual amount of intelligence way beyond their years, they are often referred to as child prodigies. Whether their exceptional talent is in music, arts or academics as long as their level of intelligence and talent appeared to match those belonging in the higher years, the child is indeed a prodigy. Through the years, the number of children prodigies are increasing particularly those that are entering college below 18 years old. The increase in their number represents a very real problem for the universities and the public in general. Some people believe that the amount of intelligence they possess is enough for them to excel in whatever field they chose in the future and that going to school is not much of a priority. However, there are those that believes that child prodigies needs closer and special attention in order to further the level of their intelligence. But, there is also a problem when it comes to providing education to child prodigies. Since their special intellectual minds need special attention, their level and quality of education also needs to be special and the only place where child prodigies can get top of the line education is from a university. But the problem is, not all families of child prodigies can afford to finance university education especially at an early age. Therefore, one of the solution being considered is to use public funds to aid financing their education or have the public schools facilitate special educational facilities for child prodigies.
It is apparent that all children has the right for education and that constitutes an obligation on the part of the society and the government to nurture them to realize their highest potential whether prodigy or not prodigy. This right includes spending the public money to provide adequate educational needs for the children and especially for the prodigies so that their talents could help contribute to the development of the country. Children rise to the challenges to develop their skills and capacity when they are encourage enough with high expectations. On the other hand, when children are viewed as incompetent and deprived of their rights to education, all the talents and motivation they have will all go to waste (Johnny, 2006, p. 22). That is exactly the objective of providing education to all children and that is to encourage academic skills development regardless of being a prodigy.
However, there are arguments about spending public funds in providing special education to gifted children because of the reason that public resources are limited. Special education is very costly and spending money for the sake of the handful of gifted children would seem to be unfair for the majority. Because of the limitation in resources, the available State and local funds are being dedicated to ensure that the majority of the students would pass the high stakes tests (Klay, 2010, p. 4). But such rationale is not adequate enough to justify neglect to the needs of child prodigies. The public and the education sector should realize the importance of enhancing the raw intellect of child prodigies in order to harness their full potential in the future.
The weight of the advantage of further enhancing the intellectual gifts of child prodigies should overcome the challenges of the economy, budget deficits and limited resources. This is because child prodigies are like investments, there is a risk involve in terms of funding an investment. However, the amount of revenue invested in a potential business opportunity is much greater than the risks. In terms of education for child prodigies, the time and money invested for their future will help the society in the long run. That is because well-developed intellects are potentially the driving force of a well-oiled economy and progressive country. Therefore, to realize that goal the government should take initiatives to provide as much help as they can to support the developmental needs of child prodigies.
Skeptics may argue that, the fact that budgets are limited, therefore, it should be maximized for the benefit of the majority of the people. Others may suggest that instead of spending the money for the selected children, (since only very few prodigies emerge in every family) the money should then be spent for everybody's benefits. Some also sees funding of special education for child prodigies as unfair, but everyone should consider the fact that there are also useless programs that the government spend the public money on. Therefore, the money wasted for useless programs should be diverted into funding special education needed by child prodigies instead.
Prodigies, just as the word itself suggests means potential and greatness. Child prodigies has the power to raise the society to a whole new level once the innate knowledge was enhanced. They are the type of people that are likely to achieve more than what an average individual could accomplish and those achievements can only be obtained when adequate attention and needs were provided. The anticipation of up-scaling the country's economic, political and social state is in the hands of the future leaders and intellects among the young generation today. The society should realize that by providing all the support they can give in order to nurture the inner power of knowledge that gifted children possess. Therefore, it is just right that the public should support the programs pertaining to the development of child prodigies. Along with that is equal amount of support in terms of funding their special educational needs by the government. Less effective programs should be halted and concentrate efforts in ensuring the future of child prodigies.
References
Johnny, L. (2006). Reconceptualising childhood: Children’s rights and youth participation in schools. International Education Journal, 7(1), 22.
Klay, M. V. (2010). Making a Place for Gifted Education: Learning from States that Maintain Gifted Education Programs Despite Academic and Economic Pressure. Making a Place for Gifted Education, 4.
