Pinning our hopes on the youth … our children

Our hopes for the future are pinned on our children. And school graduation exercises celebrate this event with the awarding of diplomas and medals proclaiming the children’s achievement. It is usually an emotionally charged affair when tears are shed—of joy, of gratitude, of pride, of hope, and perhaps ... even of despair—by the graduating students, teachers, and parents, and even by guests. The deeper significance of the occasion is that our individual and collective dreams are being passed to the youth, to the children.










I had the opportunity to again witness this thrilling celebration in the 24th Commencement Exercises of Balo-i National High School in Lanao del Norte. In a Christian-dominated class marching for graduation, about 40% of the 149 students were Muslims. Despite this, Johari M. Abubacar, a well-mannered Muslim, was the class valedictorian. He reaped a number of awards: Best in Mathematics, Best in Science, Best in Mapeh, and Best in Aral Panlipunan. I would say that he was quite good particularly as I listened to him deliver a remarkable speech from memory. This, I thought, was an excellent example of a youth upon whom we can pin our hopes for the future. But, my upbeat feeling was soon overwhelmed by a sense of despair: he may not make it to college due to financial incapacity. Later, I was comforted with the thought that the teachers and some guests were doing something to put him to school. Still, I asked myself how many of our promising youths are not accorded the chance to deliver their full potential.

Mindful of this dilemma together with my own parental responsibilities, I took my turn to deliver my message on the adopted commencement theme—“My Education: My Contribution to the Future.”

Message - My Education

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