Shenivel E.

Bante
BSEd 1B

When I was in pre-school, I really didn’t want to attend school. In fact, I even
stopped after I finish my first year in kinder and skipped kinder two because I was tired
of writing my name in a piece of paper over and over again. My parents were very
understanding but they did not stop lecturing me when they have free time – especially
my mother who’s a teacher. Eventually, after a year, I remember telling them that I want
to go to school because I envy those children in our neighbourhood. They were ecstatic
hearing it and immediately enrolled me in grade 1. They wouldn’t accept me because I
was just five years old and not in the right age to enter grade 1 but they made me
answer a test for first section or what they call Special Science Class (SSC). Waiting for
the result, my mom talked to the principal of the school and they had an agreement that
if I pass the entrance exams, they would accept me as a grade 1 student, and if not,
kinder 2. Fortunately, when my test paper was checked, I passed the entrance exams
with the score of 22 and the passing score is 20.

I can connect my journey with Malala because I felt ashamed thinking about not
going to school in the past. Malala was and still is very brave with what she had done
for Islam girls acquiring education. It is not easy to stand high and be fearless in voicing
out; even I tremble in recitations! Malala is indeed very lucky in the sense that her voice
was heard and she has the power to make changes in her country and even in the
world. Nowadays, with the vast emergence of technology, I can say that learning
became easier than before. As long as we have the resources, and the government will
prioritize education, all will be well.

Often times, I would think about how fortunate I am that I have the resources I
need and the parents that are working their butts off just to provide and support our
education. My mom, as a teacher, she would go to rural places and visit her students
residing in that areas just to check on them and ask them why they stopped going to
school. My mom would encourage both the parents and student/s to pursue and
finished even just high school or else the children would be trained or recruited as NPA.

With the bravery of Malala and the willingness of my mother inspired me and
made me think of what I can do to help those who are deprived of education. I was
hooked with radio broadcasting when I was still in senior high school and I want to use
that knowledge and expertise if ever I have the chance to help the children living in rural
areas. Hopefully, with the guidance of our Lord God and the Holy Spirit, I can achieve
this dream.