ENGL 1103: Language Learning Materials May 04, 2019

Vercita R. Ramos
BSED 1-1 Engl

The Essence of Education

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action” - Herbert Spencer

Education is something that can be easily understood than defined. It is a

process of self-expression and an individual expresses himself through education.
People have the innate capabilities and potentialities that can be drawn and develop
through education. However, as time pass by education loses its essence in a way that
those people who finished their school, hold a degree level and had a license became
the one who shows nasty attitudes towards others who gain nothing when it comes to
education because of different hindrances that occurs. How can we even say that they
are educated?

As a student who is pursuing an education course with English major, I can say
that one of the factors that pushed me to go on this course is because of the fact that I
do also believe that it is very essential to have or hold a degree in order for me to
survive in this changing world, survival of the fittest as they always say. People are
saying that if you know how to speak the English language, finished a four year course
and with good standing, you can easily acquire your desired position and job. Those are
what I believed before, but as time pass by my vision towards education is changing.
There are people who made me realized that being an educated person is not always
about how much you are learning, what is your score in a quizzes and exams, and how
many times you’ve been awarded as honor student nevertheless being educated simply
means being well-mannered. As someone once said “Good manners will open doors
that best education cannot” meaning to say that being well-mannered is better that
being just intelligent because we can all acquire all the knowledge that has been
thought in school but not all people can acquire the right manner to apply in every
situation on this life.

For the past 18 years of my life, I became a fan of three different types of person:
First, those who are good son or daughter to their parents or good parents to their
children. Despite the situation, a good son or daughter or good parents upholds the
family integrity and will always plan for what’s best for the family. A good son or
daughter or good parents always take pride on being a member of the family and will
always look out for the best interest in the clan. I was so amazed to those people that
are very successful in life yet they did not forget how to treat their family right. First-hand
experience of the situation contrasting to this was the situation of my cousins towards
their father, for 28 years their father took good care of them, worked for them, loved
them and put them to school but after they graduated they already abandoned their
ENGL 1103: Language Learning Materials May 04, 2019
Vercita R. Ramos
BSED 1-1 Engl

father because of just one mistake. They let their father live his own life knowing that it
suffered stroke, worst comes to worst their father has no home to stay, he only plead to
live on one of his cousin wherein he became the feeder of the pigs and he sleep on just
a small space besides the cage of the pigs together with a swing for his bed. I just
realized that they became corrupted, did not value what their father has done for them.
No matter how successful you are, always keep your feet on the ground. Remember
those people who helped you to be successful and give some gratitude to them.

Secondly, an educated Filipino will have a heart for humanity, a sympathy for
fellowmen, a Filipino that will look out for welfare not only to the sick, but also to the
displaced and disadvantage: a Filipino who will take time in participating in charity
works, community outreached and volunteer community services. Acquiring all the
knowledge and achieving the highest honor will never be a passes for someone to
humiliate others and I think this is one of the failure that some qualified possess. Just
because they achieved something higher than others, they make fun of it, humiliate and
underestimate what others can. We should always bare in our mind that we cannot do
all things alone; we always need the assistance of others. There are things that they
can provide and we cannot. Life is a win-win situation. Respect begets respect. If you
want to be respected, respect others no matter their status is.

Lastly, the educated Filipino is one who is deep-rooted in one’s speech and
conduct. One must put into practice those elements recognized as concomitant to
culture and morality. Hence, one makes use of such elements for one’s growth as an
individual and for a nation’s development as a whole. As we all know that manners and
education is interrelated to each other. The manners that will always be in the bloodline
of every Filipino making us different from other countries, the culture that was very
unique and fascinating that we can only experience in Philippines alone. Being
educated also means that we are all patronizing, loving, practicing and internalizing
what our country possesses. Everytime we are aiming to develop ourselves, we should
also aim to develop the status of our culture and country.

Therefore, education should be put into action for a person can be called
educated. When I was a child I admire intelligent people but as I grew up I admire kind
people. I just realized that life is not a battle between brains, it is the battle between you
and yourself alone, and on how are you going to live your life. Are you going to live it
with acquiring all the knowledge and forgetting the manners? Or acquiring the
knowledge together with manners to be well-educated? Always remember what Sai
Baba said “The sign of a person who has had an education is good manners” what you
have learned in school should be reflected on the way you live your life.