People`s Rights: Education

In our experience during these last weeks living in a country of extreme poverty we have realized that people´s rights are very different than the rights we experience in the US. Some rights that we take for granted are not available to the majority of people here in El Salvador. One basic right that comes to my mind is the right to public education. In the US we have access to free education from kindergarden all the way through twelfth grade. Here in El Salvador in most of the poor communities there are only some schools if any and kids have to commute, which sometimes is just too much. Also, the role of children here is different. In the US children`s main job is to go to school. Everyone values education no matter what their economic status is. Here, kids are forced to work and help keep the family afloat, which a lot of times takes a toll on their education. I think it is interesting to note that when our group was reflecting at the beach on what we hold dearest to us, everybody said education. We all agreed that the only way to advance in our society was to be educated. Education provides truth and knowledge that gives us power to overcome prejudices, repression, and to recognize our potential to contribute to society. It exposes us to many different fields of work along with skills and information that help us to advance.

I think it is also interesting to note that not only schooling is important but the sharing of knowledge is also very valuable in a repressive society like El Salvador. Today we had our last talk at UCA with a Jesuit priest who works in a very poor community in El Salvador. He talked about changing people`s way of thinking on their own status'. For example, the peasants, he said, need to realize their value in society if they are to overcome repression. Throughout history they have viewed themselves as objects in society who are expendible. This has allowed the campesinos to own their lives and treat them poorly. However, in this new school of thought they are able to view themselves as subjects who deserve the same rights as everyone else. Through the help of the church and NGOs people are able to change their ways of thinking and begin the long process of changing the system. People are learning to speak out against injustices in a country that is still intolerant of speaking out against the system in power. Father Cubillas, who gave our talk today, opened our eyes to the fact that people are still being persecuted for their beliefs. He said that the killing of priests, not only happened during the war, but is still going on today in El Salvador! which was very disturbing to me. The people in this country still fear for their lives when they speak out against injustices.