Priority: Techno for out-of-school youth

In the last years of the past government, the Department of Education reported an increase in the production of computers to be distributed among hundred thousands public schools despite of the rising 4.3 trillion debt of the country (according to former budget Sec. Benjamin Diokno), believing that it’s the best way to boost up the declining literacy rate in the Philippines.

For many years, we know that technology has really been a demand of those students particularly from public schools. But, the problem is, no matter how our government pushes through the use of technology for proliferation, there is still this poverty that hinders.

To admit, not all students can pursue their studies. About 6 million Filipino children drop out of school altogether. This is the data that has emerged from a study carried out by the Department of Education in Manila. 30% of the 91 million inhabitants of the country are under 18: almost 25% of them never finish their studies. Added to this is the 23 million Filipinos or 27 percent of the Philippine population, living below poverty line.

Thereby, though we try to go with the flow of changes in the nearby countries like Japan (with 100% literacy rate), there is still a matter that is being left behind and that is where the authority should put focus on. They should help these aspirants to thrive in an appropriate school before filling the libraries with computers and other gadgets. These won’t be usable to the maximum capacity if only those who can afford would be learning from it. 

Technology, of course, makes transformations in the youth but only few of them. We can’t also refuse to the fact that some of these few still misuse it and even cause destruction to their studies. From here, technology’s goal to help the country fails and slumps to life’s breach.

The first priority in using technology should be those who are really in need. It must be well-planned so as not to discourage good learning among students. And, most importantly, the question that ought to arouse first is how would the technology brings back millions of children being molded at streets instead of schools.