The most powerful weapon: Education

 

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. – Nelson Mandela

It was until today that I’ve read this phrase; I didn’t know Nelson Mandela has said it but at the moment and in the last couple of years is one of the strongest beliefs I have.

In the last days I’ve been wondering of what and where I want to do. What do I want to study after college? Do I want to study after college and in which country? Where should I work? How long do I want to leave Guatemala? Will all that knowledge really help me to achieve my personal goals and have an impact in my society?

I still don’t have clear answers to all that questions and I’m no longer 18 years old, but one question I do have the answer is the one according to education, what do I want to be doing in ten years from now: Making money in order to give scholarships. The deep and transcendent impact in an individual, his family and future is real and a perfect example of that is my family, all my brothers and sisters and me in one point or another of our lives have had a scholarship, full or partial. All that help, combined with the super hard work of my parents and all his teachings and values are the reason to explain how the family of a “bastard”, an illegitimate son of a Spanish land-owner and a very poor house-cleaner raised became a middle-class family with higher than average income with an even brighter future. I could write about the story of my mom-dad for pages but that is not the purpose of this post, so returning to the education matter: EDUCATION COUNTS!

We cannot expect things change in Guatemala with the education statistics we have today. Our illiteracy rate is one of the highest in America and not too much time ago I shared a link with some friends about the poor results of the graduates from high school. In University things aren’t that bright either since in many public or private universities the quality of classes is in the lowest levels that it’s ever been hiring professors that maybe have the knowledge but not the responsibility or desire to teach, anyway all their students are among the luckiest students that have the change to be in college.

So, what to do? Our country seriously needs a change in the educational system and a huge investment from private and public funds for more and more people have a future and hope. Not everything is lost and as long as there be people that believe and act to make a change Guatemala will be a better country.

PS Why did I write in English? Not sure, I guess because I read the quote from Mandela and I wanted to practices my English for not losing it!