Equalizing Educational Opportunity

THE discontent that a World Bank country report warned about, plaguing young Filipino graduates who cannot find jobs commensurate with their educational qualifications is already happening and may be getting worse.

This problem has been taking place for quite some time now and is, in fact, the underlying cause of the steady stream of Filipino professionals going abroad for better employment prospects.

Even those who choose to stay are not spared from the angst of accepting jobs that are not in any way related to their educational preparations, and with much lesser compensation.

The World Bank report said this was one of the most serious problems in the Philippines in the 1980s and early 1990s and certainly up to this time, if I may say so, considering our circumstances.

"If properly utilized, these trained personnel could facilitate economic development, but when left idle or forced to take jobs beneath their qualifications, this group could be a major source of discontent," the report said.

Senator Edgardo Angara had made reference to the World Bank report as he bewailed the failure of many young graduates to find suitable jobs for their educational qualifications.

Angara, a former president of the University of the Philippines, quoted the WB country report describing the situation as "quite disturbing."

Recently, the Senator also voiced concern over the escalating tuition fees being collected by private educational institutions, saying they should share the responsibility of the government in providing access to quality education to the citizens.