Poverty is a social problem whose solution remains an ilusive goal. Working pro bono for a non-governmental organization (NGO) established to help disadvantaged children gain a college degree, I have seen how restrictive poverty can be. Unable to get a globally competitive college degree because of poverty, a child is relegated to a vicious cycle of poverty, growing up no better than his or her parents.
Social inclusion is defined by the World Bank to mean being included in “the process of improving the terms for individuals and groups to take part in society. Social inclusion aims to empower poor and marginalized people to take advantage of burgeoning global and local opportunities. It ensures that people have a voice in decisions that affect their lives and that they enjoy equal access to markets, services and political, social and physical spaces.” It is considered one of two goals to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030 and promote shared prosperity.
Access to quality and globally competitive education is a fundamental right of every child and the duty of the state to provide this to everyone irrespective of economic or social standing. Unfortunatey, this is easier said than done. At the root of social exclusion is poverty, a complex problem that requires a complex solution.
On one hand, the government cannot be accused of not trying to reduce, if not eliminate poverty, and many programs have been implemented by both the government and private sector. Yet, today, more than 25 percent of the population continue to suffer from abject poverty. To complicate things, corrective efforts are marred by a host of issues like corruption, for one. Statistics reveal that only 12 percent of those who enter elementary finish college, mostly from lower quality institutions that cannot compete globally.
As I engaged with the familes of the children the NGO helps, I listen and hear the hopeless feeling in their hearts of not being able to give their children the opportuntiy to extricate themselves from the poverty cycle. And I grieve with them.
Their hopelessness stems from their inability to support their child in getting quality college education. Hard as it is, not all colleges are created equal. You have to have affordable and quality education for the poor. Sadly, our primary and secondary education systems are hardly competitive.
The private sector has also taken upon itself to help provide access by offering college scholarships to those who are academically qualified. But this only impacts on a small segment of the vast majority. These scholarship programs are so difficult and so competitve that only a few from the poor ever get one. Unfortunately, even these efforts to provide access might be a little too late.
To improve the chance of the disadvantaged to get to university, intervention has to start at the preschool level all the way to Grade 12. But in assessing the intervention efforts available today, there aren’t too many organizations that view it long term. And it gets worse in the rural areas.
Boosting the ability of the disadvantaged to compete with the more privileged is a complex problem. It encompasses a host of interrelated concerns covering: nutrition, economic and financial, education support at home, pyschosocial well-being and strong moral values. It therefore requires a complex solution that addresses each component singularly
and holistically.
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The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Finex. E-mail: rbo811@yahoo.com