Education as the Greater Equalizer by Aquilina V. Redo, MA (November, 2005)

Quality seems to be a totally impossible thing. But education somehow will reduce this impossibility. In the classroom, even if students have their individual differences, education bridges them. Students in school are given equal opportunities to discover more about themselves and nourish their talents if they would only open their minds and hearts into it.

There are pictures in our lives that we don't like, which can be changed dramatically through education. Education as a whole, will separate us somehow from the things that we don't like to do. It gives us hope that someday, we can break the chains of misery in our lives, believing that education will prepare us for a promising future which only our hands and God's hold.

With good education, a person coming from poor family can fare well in the field that he has chosen and in the business or corporate world, brain and right attitude will help him stay on top regardless of the socio-economic status he may once belong to.

The best way to predict his future is to create it. As always, a good education, combined with a tough and persistent attitude, will ensure success. In fact many of us here in TIP are products of this so-called ST or "sipag at tiyaga" keys to success by our Senator Manny Villar. Every semester, especially during the first semester many from our freshmen students enjoy scholarship grants/discounts. Most of them come from the province. However, for one reason or another, some of them fail to combat the odds and rigors of tertiary education. More often, those with strong determination and those endowed with intelligence and talents plus God's intercession are those who are able reach the top.

Through a good education, the poor can mingle with the rich, the simple can mingle with the extremely aesthetic, and the physically plain can confidently compete with the adorable good-looking ones.

With this in mind, we, as mentors of the academe, should really stress out how education can be a good foundation for our students to succeed. Moreover, we must stick to the principle of fairness in treating them. If education is the greatest equalizer, we must then give our students equal opportunities to learn and to grow. When they see that they will feel secured in TIP and under our care; the more it will give them motivation to study and the more they will see that there's a silver shining beyond their clouds. But that is if they experience good things in school, so as much as possible, as their educators, we really have to give our best to let those who are lost find light as they continue in their quest for education. As we see them prosper and succeed, only then could we say that: "the task is done and that is a legacy".