by Allen Ramiso
Education is a right given to people as a weapon to break the chains of poverty. It gives an upper hand to a person who experiences difficulties in life or offers a glimpse of hope. In this quest, it takes a gigantic risk for someone to last given the number of hindrances that attempt to block the track. How much could we afford to sacrifice to get higher education?
Recently, a post from a CED student circulated on social media. It was from Chinelle Joseph Tinoy, a second-year student currently taking up Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education major in Industrial Arts at MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology.
On his post, the 19-year old student was asking for someone who could share with him an internet connection so that he could attend his online classes. In exchange, Tinoy would be willing to clean the house of the owner for his help and kindness.
His post caught a lot of attention and gained sympathy from the netizens, especially the dean of the College of Education, Dr. Amelia T. Buan. Her heart was moved by how this young student willingly offered to clean a house in exchange for the internet connection he needed as a requirement to continue his online class.
Despite the hardship brought by the current situation, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic did not hinder Chinelle as he desires to continue schooling this semester. This post has already reached some people with warm hearts who offered him assistance.
Chinelle currently lives with his parents together with his 2 siblings in Zone 4 Lumbo, Alubijid, Misamis Oriental. His mother is a housewife while his father, a truck driver, has a minimum wage which can only sustain the family’s basic needs. However, his father’s work was affected because of this pandemic.
The fact that the pandemic altered everyone’s lives, the online class brought difficulty to him and his sister as they are both taking their bachelor’s degrees in college. He does not have his own device and no access to the internet. This has pushed him to gather all his courage to post about his struggles attending distance learning grasping on a huge hope that help will come.
His bravery reflected like a blazing phoenix. Despite the flood of challenges drowning him, his heart was filled with burning courage and desire to continue his education.
There is no one greater in this world than a young mind equipped with the armor of perseverance and a ton of courage to conquer the struggles of the unknown. Risking what he has to keep up in achieving his dreams, and disregarding the difficulties and interference along the quest are considered the greatest achievement. Hence, a shortcut to success is nonexistent, a long rigorous course awaits to be conquered. After all, the phoenix lives inside us. For we do not only fly, we soar high.