Why Education is Important

RURAL CLASSROOMS IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA

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I’m at one with my fellow EDUCATION advocates, as they recapitulate the weighty significance of education.  It is indeed our greatest agent for development.

Much has been said and laid on the possible solutions in acquiring literacy.  However, we shall not forget that educating its citizens is a primary obligation of the Government. And it is not only for moral considerations.  An educated population outweighs all the natural resources of the country put together. One needs only look at city states like Singapore and Hong Kong to know what education can do.  Yes, there are international organizations who have been there in our lifetime trying to cushion the problem, but then again, health and education must not be left to donor countries. It is the primary obligation of any self-respecting nation to fund these basic obligations.

Yet many developing countries such as the Philippines and Papua New Guinea may struggle for resources.  Again, the government “must” fund education, and they should do it absolutely “free”!

One of my outrageously feasible idea in pushing through an “absolute free education” is by increasing the value added tax by 5% to 15%.  Many first world countries, collect as much as 40% taxes in order to provide free services for its citizens. The extra 5% would be for the sole purpose of funding decent free education.

If the nation collects P2 billion in VAT annually today, then you are looking for an extra P100 million each year from the 5% tax increase.

To know, before you dig into the plate of rice in front of you that the rice packet might have cost an extra 50 cents, but that is 50 cents for the education of the children would be most satisfying indeed.

Thus, It is money worth spending.