The Borneo Diaries: Part One
Share:
Education
In July I set off on a month-long expedition to Malaysian Borneo, volunteering to help communities, the rainforest and the conservation of wildlife. This is the first of three articles on the key aspects of the trip and how they link directly with our lives here in the UK.
The education system in Borneo is a work in progress. It is something that the government is trying to improve but there are still miles to go before it can be efficient enough for all children, especially those in the village of Bongkud where I was lucky enough to visit. When children in Bongkud reach the age of eleven, they have to travel for a few hours for the next stage of their education. This means they have to live somewhere else for the school week or travel each day which understandably causes lots of issues for deprived families struggling to get by.
However, the problem is not laziness or lack of motivation: in fact, I will vouch for each and every child I met in Bongkud as being enthusiastic and willing. They have attitudes at the age of ten that people in their thirties don’t have. Moreover, the children who I taught English to in Bongkud have high hopes. When I asked them what they wanted to do when they grow up, so many of them responded with ambitions of becoming pilots and doctors. It is refreshing to hear that children with a poor education system and plenty of odds against them still believe that they can achieve if they work hard enough – in fact, it’s something that I wish I could bottle and give out to children in this country.
Another thing was confirmed to me when speaking with the children and adults in Bongkud: education is vital. I was told that learning to speak English would improve the children’s prospects in life as they would be more likely to pass exams and continue education rather than not finish and become involved in underpaid jobs. Education in Borneo is a way out of the poverty that so many children find themselves in through no fault of their own. With qualifications under their belt, they will be able to find better employment, earn more money and, consequently, their children will more than likely do the same.
Education is invaluable. It always has been and it always will be. When students in the UK complain about school because they can’t be bothered, it is humiliating. There are children whose schools are wholly inadequate or a long way from the desired standard, but they go to school every day with the intention of learning and the motivation to achieve regardless. They are real heroes and should be examples for students like you and me.
This article is dedicated to the students, parents and teachers in Bongkud, Sabah, Borneo. You are amazing.