UN Transforming Education Summit 2022

Today, Joel, one of our Grade 12 Philippine Boystown students at school in Minglanilla, participated in the United Nations Transforming Education (TES) Summit 2022 held in Manila.

Meeting to summarise the issues and priority areas for the development of education in the country, the conference featured stakeholders in the Philippine education system from throughout the country.

Joel was chosen by the Philippine Department of Education to represent the Sisters of Mary school and its student body and to add his voice to the movement towards shaping the country’s basic education development plan for 2030.

“I am Joel, from the Sisters of Mary School Boystown, Minglanilla, Cebu. All of us, the youth of this country, deserve to have a safe and accessible education, regardless of our stations or status in life.

Living in a slum area made me witness the cruelty of poverty on every aspect of a poor child. There are moments when we think that education has no value. I have witnessed my friends dropping out from school because of poverty and vices. I have witnessed many being bullied because of their educational attainment. Because of these reasons, many of us had already lost hope in life. We lost our dreams to have a decent job and enjoy life to the fullest. We neglect the importance of education in our existence. For us, working is better than studying. Even though we are small in physical appearance, but we have the biggest dreams for our future and we hope that the government should hear our loudest voice of all.”