Alyssa on Education

Some similarities that I noticed between the students and myself are the desire to achieve through education. Growing up, even from kindergarten my teacher would constantly tell my former peers and me how important it was to pass so that we could go on to the next grade. Every year following after the next was the same. Every teacher said something similar. Nearly done with high school, my junior year I was so petrified. Every grade counted and just imagining the results of my SATs felt like jumping across a cliff. If I messed up trying to cross that cliff, ultimately my future would be paying the price.

Alyssa as Elementary School Student of the Month

After watching this film Testing Hope: Grade 12 in the New South Africa, and connecting my own experience I realized that Education alone is a test. What step is after college when you spend thousands of dollars for a career that may not get you a job and are in debt with loans until you’re nearly dead? How about buy a house or one of your dream cars? Without a doubt, having an education beyond high school is beneficial but is it necessary to be successful? In Cape Town, personally I feel like the students there have it a lot harder than students here mainly because of the environment some are living in absolute poverty and dealing with other issues including school such as homelessness or HIV. In America, there are so many places such a shelters and access to many medicines. In Cape Town, there is so little of assistance. Therefore, even if they get into a good school, the money to send them there is needed to take care of their family.

Going back to money, in America I feel like education is somewhat a scheme to continue to reach in our pockets. Look at it this way: 1. If you want your child to have the "best" education you send to private schools [$] 2. Tutoring [$] 3. College [$] 4. House, Mortgage [$] 5. Car [$] 6. Paying back loans [$] 7. Ads, Media, etc. [$]. Granted, nothing in this life is free but instead of living the "American Dream" we could ultimately just be buying the "American Dream" they told us we'd have if we simply got a degree?

Students in Cape Town leaving school
at the end of the day.

As far as the students in Cape Town, personally I feel like the influence on their education in some schools is ultimately just a way to get them out of their country. I am not saying that their education is not useful as for helping their families get out of their living conditions. But from my experience, when I went to City Missions the last two days of volunteering a boy said to me that he looked up to American students and that he and other people are perceived as unintelligent compared to us American students and that going to America meant more chances to be someone in life. At that very moment, I literally wanted to cry! I could not understand how someone I had become inspired by, through his words and knowledge, had such mentality about education in South Africa. I told him and the rest of the students that I looked up to them and that they are legends already.

What hurts me the most is he isn't the first to tell me America is a land of opportunity. When I went to Cape Town, I felt alive like never before. What some people in Cape Town do not realize is that there is opportunity in Cape Town as well! They can make a difference with or without education. For instance, Nelson Mandela served 27 years in prison and later became South Africa's president in 1994. Although he did previously attend University studying law, it seems that even without that extended education he still would have been the legend we know today. Why, because he was motivated by what he believed and stood as a strong individual to represent South Africans. The moral of the story is, yes education is beneficial in some ways but do not let lack of education become the reason for your limitation.