The impact of scholarships

Every student has a story and every story is different. For those that have been given the chance to acquire scholarships, it goes without saying that an opportunity to earn an education is granted not only for bright and promising students, but especially for those who are economically deprived and marginalized.

We have always said that education is the greatest equalizer and scholarships give learners the assistance they need in order to attain a degree and eventually enter the work force. Education is a Filipino dream and for many Filipinos, it is their chance to escape poverty. One of the main reasons why Filipino children are deprived of a good education is due to financial concerns and the impact of scholarships for students is life changing.

On the other hand, however, and I feel compelled to ask, what does one gain when announcements to the public are made indicating their refusal to take part in the process of learning, stating that there will be no classes under a Marcos presidency? As an educator it pains me to see young people expressing their defiance by not going to school and claiming at the same time that it is more important to focus on the cessation of classes before pursuing their academics. Considering the millions of students who are unable to enroll, as recorded by the Department of Education last year, the chances for these learners can be very disturbing because of the simple fact that education is for ALL.

Scholarships have a big impact on the lives of students, as this alleviates the burden of costs as well as providing access to a basic human right. Education is an investment as it is the path that leads towards empowerment and employment. When we look at how education pays off for our learners, we must realize that education is a service department whose main goal is to produce educated men and women who will largely contribute to the economy as it is largely responsible for the development of our country’s human resources. It is therefore no surprise when both the public and private sectors actively participate in granting scholarships for Filipino learners, as certainly they understand the impact of a good and learned student to the growth of skilled human capital.

The significant increase in the number of out of school youth recorded last year is troublesome and it must be noted that the reasons cited were the high cost of education as well as the troubles brought about by this pandemic.

So what is the solution? I agree with Senator Sonny Angara when he says that a whole-of-government approach will be needed to address the concerns of Education with the DepEd, Tesda, CHED ( as well as DOH, DTI and DOLE) to take charge. As Senator Angara pushes for the establishment of the Magna Carta of the OSYs, government scholarships play a big role in ensuring that our Filipino learners obtain proper education.

As many Filipinos are driven to attain their dream of fulfilling their academic purpose, the impact of scholarships for those who need access is by far an overreaching benefit that produces many more benefits in the future. Indeed one can say, what an impact!