2023-07-04 04:58:00
From time to time, a non-governmental organization (NGO) shows us that there are a series of issues to which the State, with its powerful machinery, does not give importance, despite the fact that they do. To rectify these failures, small groups of citizens periodically arise who assign themselves a specific mission, to which they dedicate themselves with effort and dedication. And time later they are in a position to exhibit favorable results.
This is the case of Liga Educación, a Cordovan civil association that was formed in 1999 with the aim of stopping school dropouts. For this, it was proposed to accompany the educational journey of children and adolescents in contexts of socioeconomic difficulties.
Already then our educational system showed worrying indicators that, by the way, did not change much in the following two decades. Broadly speaking, the most dramatic statistic is that one in two adolescents does not finish high school.
Without education, there is no future, because without education it is impossible to get a quality formal job with a good salary. Education and work are two key factors in upward social mobility.
As if that were not enough, school dropout tends to be reproduced from generation to generation in a context of poverty: when there is a father or a mother who did not finish high school, it is highly likely that their child will not finish the compulsory education cycle either.
Of course, a small group of citizens – between 10 and 30 people, to mark an illustrative number – will not be able to make school dropouts disappear completely. But his effort to assist a minimum amount not only shows that it is possible to achieve the objective, but also shows what the State could do if it allocated financial and human resources to the same task.
The Education League, originally focused on schools in Villa Allende, where it was established, knew how to ally itself, for example, with Fundación Cimientos to assist children and adolescents from different schools in Saldán, La Cumbre and Córdoba capital.
He was able to persuade other citizens to “sponsor” students who required significant financial support to continue. Because to stay in school you need clothes, supplies and a good diet.
They also did not hesitate to organize social, cultural and sporting events to raise funds. They organized a community closet, collected smocks, created a school supply bank. They even proposed to give training in trades to promote specific training that would enable a job opportunity.
Today, when it is about to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Education League can proudly show that among the young people it assisted there are 10 university graduates.
If we omit for a moment their work in the provincial capital, we will notice that this NGO has benefited minors from three towns with its work. How much more could be achieved if you had the assistance of local governments and the provincial government? Thus, each small community could weave a support network for children and adolescents at risk of dropping out of school.
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#Civil #society #deficiencies #State