Pope inspires students to propose reinvention of Filipino

In our speech and writing classes at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Santo Tomas, Batangas branch, I often hold brainstorming sessions. My students are expected to come up with ideas on how to rework things.

Recently, following Pope Francis’ visit, it occurred to them that we Filipinos should reinvent ourselves.

They noted that Filipinos were religious but also superstitious,

investing more time and thought on rituals and ceremonies rather than the quality of our faith.

My students think only those who are intelligent, passionate and sensitive must be allowed to take teaching courses, as they are reasoned and authoritative.

They worry about what will happen if poor teachers handle a class of slow learners or even bright and fast learners. The best teachers able to get along well with both ordinary and select students will have dynamic classrooms filled with eager learners.

If smart young people are encouraged to take up education today, in four or five years, we will have a new crop of wiser teachers. A clever batch of elementary school teachers will inspire the youth to care, love and work for the poor.

As to how the Department of Education, colleges and universities can attract the intellectuals to go into teaching, which is not a very lucrative profession, the students suggest that the government raise teachers’ salaries to the level of doctors, engineers or lawyers.

Here are the other ideas my students came up with:

1 If every rich family will send one poor student to school, it will not only promote literacy and reduce unemployment, but

also boost the economy.

2 Senior education students undergoing out-of-campus training should teach out-of-school children the 3Rs (reading, ’riting, ’rithmetic), the Ps and Qs and prayers, regardless of religious affiliations.

3 Immersion training for psychology, medical and other social sciences students should be the evacuation centers for calamity victims, slums and streets where the poor live.

4 Agriculture students of state universities should train poor farmers and encourage local governments to lend them lands to cultivate.

5 The Commission on Higher Education can provide financial support to students of social work courses, who will form the core group of a regular, more stable and efficient workforce helping the poor.

6 Church leaders and social workers should get rid of unworthy and phony recipients of the government’s monthly cash assistance for the poor.

7 Priests and religious organizers should leave their conclaves periodically to strengthen the faith and educate the poor on responsible parenthood and natural family planning.

8 Senior citizens, as well as the poorest of the poor of any age, should enjoy free medical privileges from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

9 Under the close supervision of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, abandoned government buildings should be used as temporary shelters for street and homeless people.

10

The President must compel mayors and governors to undertake productive programs for the poor such as housing, health, education, employment, cooperative enterprises, recreational facilities, libraries and feeding centers for poor children. Municipalities and provinces that are unable to do so should not receive national government subsidies.

The young people’s ideas may seem simplistic or radical, but sometimes, brilliant schemes are no match to simple solutions from uncluttered minds. These students will be the country’s future leaders, so we should probably start listening to them now.

The writer edited community papers for the US Navy before his present post as speech and writing professor at PUP in Batangas.