We have heard the government talk about the state of education. We have listened to policy-makers propose legislations for education. But do we hear enough of the people's voices, those who are poor and marginalized and denied education? The 11.6 million out-of-school children and youth in our midst or the more than 4 million child laborers who toil everyday and fail to go to classes or the 5.1 million youth and adults who never learned to read or write?

While Filipinos hold on to the age-old belief that education is a legacy that one can keep forever (" Ang edukasyon ay pamanang hindi mananakaw."), it has become apparent that more and more families are giving up and could not afford to wait for that treasure when realities of poverty haunt their everyday life. Many children cannot afford school projects while others cannot cope with lessons because of malnutrition. Many students have lost interest in the promises of education because of the urgency to earn money for the family.

Education is the key to poverty alleviation and meaningful political participation. Considered as an equalizer, it is important to ask how public education can be more accessible to the poor families. What solutions do people recommend to government to address the growing problems in public education access and quality? The coming election is not only a time for politicians to speak out, it is more importantly an opportunity for people to voice out their demands like those for quality education. It is a time to make the politicians listen to people's sentiments.

September is International Literacy Month in the Philippines . In the Philippines, literacy is defined as functional literacy:

Functional Literacy means that all individuals should possess a complete range of skills and competencies, i.e. cognitive, affective and behavioral, which would enable them to: live and work as human persons, develop potentials, make critical and informed decisions and function effectively in society within the context of their environment and that of the wider community (local, regional, national and global) to improve the quality of their lives and that of society.

This framework guides the Philippine Education for All Plan 2015 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2006 that commits functional literacy for all by 2015.

Meanwhile October 5 is "World Teachers' Day" celebrated to give due recognition to the pivotal role of teachers in ensuring quality education for all.

Within these two important months, E-Net Philippines through its members, organizes a series of dialogues and events campaigning for EFA called 10 Days 10 Voices for Education Platform 2010 with a kick-off on September 26 and culminating on October 5. The youth, being at the forefront of the EFA advocacy of the marginalized, will carry the torch for this 10-day advocacy through a Campaign at Congress on September 24 to push the agenda for a budget that will expand alternative learning programs to cover more out-of-school children and youth in both urban and rural areas.

10 Days and 10 Voices for Education Platform 2010 raise the agenda of the people through a series of activities. 

Click here to view list of activities..

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