Do we (still) need education? (RO/EN)

(Mai) avem nevoie de educatie?

“If your plan is for 1 year, plant rice. If your plan is for 10 years, plant trees. If your plan is for 100 years, educate children.” – Confucius

O dupa-amiaza noroasa, de inceput de toamna, la o ora de “maxima audienta”, adica pe la 17:30. Trebuia sa ajung repede, foarte repede, la ora de kinetoterapie cu baiatul meu de 5 ani. Nu voiam neaparat sa ies la plimbare la ora aceea, doar ca nu aveam incotro. Stateam in statia de autobuz, asteptand noi doi si inca vreo 30 de persoane un autobuz care nu mai venea. 

 Nici nu era de mirare ca intarzia, deoarece pe ambele sensuri erau coloane uriase de masini, incecand sa treaca o intersectie blocata din minunatul nostru oras. Si iata ca apare si autobuzul, atat de incarcat incat mi-a desteptat amintiri din copilarie! Cine era destul de mare prin anii ’70 – ’80 si a trait in Bucuresti stie la ce ma refer! Nu am incotro, iau copilul de mana si-l inghesui in singurul loc disponibil, chiar la usa. Cand sa se inchida usile, hopa sus 3 (adica TREI) vlajgani de 1,90 m fiecare, imbracati in costume de fotbal. Pareau niste liceeni din clase mai mari, plecati sa faca sport. Galagiosi, s-au indesat peste toata lumea care statea cum putea. Primii imbranciti… copilul si cu mine. Il protejez cum pot si le spun frumos ca ar fi putut sa mai astepte sau sa urce pe la o alta usa, chiar nu mai era suficient spatiu pentru atatea persoane si mai era si un copil mic intre noi, in aglomeratia respectiva. Fiul meu, care nu prea stie multe, il impinge pe unul dintre ei ca sa-si faca loc. Imediat, respectivul ma avertizeaza ca ar trebui sa-mi educ copilul, pentru ca nu stie sa se poarte. Si ca daca nu avem grija, s-ar putea sa luam bataie! Adica tanarul domn “foarte bine crescut”, dupa ce ca inghesuise cu prietenii lui pe toata lumea, s-ar fi batut cu o femeie care ii ajungea pana la umar si cu un copil de 5 ani!!!!!!!!!!! Aceasta era perceptia lui despre EDUCATIE: cel mai mic si neajutorat asculta fara discutie de cel mai puternic! Pai, in acest caz ne mai miram ca statisticile din tara noastra privind violenta asupra femeilor si copiilor au ajuns la cote de necrezut???!!!!!!!!!!

Din fericire, pentru mine si copilul meu, intamplarea s-a terminat cu bine: un domn amabil, aflat chiar langa noi, a reglat imediat situatia cu tinerii turbulenti. Din pacate, lucrurile s-au transat de la barbat la barbat. Cine e cat de cat sensibil la dimensiunea si nuantele de gen, stie la ce ma refer. Nu vreau sa ma gandesc ce s-ar fi intamplat daca nu ne-ar fi luat nimeni apararea!

Cu ocazia Zilei Mondiale a Educatiei, le transmit toate gandurile bune acelor dascali care inteleg sa-si faca bine treaba, cu gandul ca felul in care arata si va arata societatea in care traim depinde in mare masura de munca si efortul lor! Stiu ca nu este mereu usor, stiu ca uneori au de suplinit eforturile unor parinti prea obositi si ocupati, stiu ca lucrurile nu sunt intotdeauna asa cum ne-am dori. Dar ii rog sa nu uite niciun moment ca toate sperantele noastre se indreapta catre ei, pentru ca in mainile lor se formeaza oameni. In fiecare zi!

- ENGLISH VERSION -

Do we (still) need education?

“If your plan is for 1 year, plant rice. If your plan is for 10 years, plant trees. If your plan is for 100 years, educate children.” – Confucius

An early autumn, cloudy afternoon, at "prime time", around 17:30. I had to run fast, very fast, at the kinetic therapy with my 5 years old son. I did not want necessarily to walk out at that time, but I had no choice. The two of us and some other 30 people were sitting in the bus station, waiting a bus that did not come. That delay was not surprising, because in both directions were huge columns of cars, trying to cross an blocked intersection in our wonderful city. And here appears the bus, so full that it woke my childhood memories! Who was old enough in the 70s - 80s and lived in Bucharest knows what I mean! I have no choice but to take the child's hand and squeeze him in the only one place available, right at the bus door. Just when the doors were about to close, 3 (i.e. three) stout fellows, at 1.90 m each, hopped in, dressed as football players. They looked like high school students in higher grades, going off to play sports. Noisy, they were pressing everybody, although we were struggling to stand up. First to be shoved… the child and myself. I protect him as much as I could and tell them how nice it would have been to wait a little more or to go to another door; It just was not enough room for so many people and there was also a small child between us in that crowd. My son, a not very patient person, pushes one of them to make its way. Immediately, that one warns me that I should educate my child, for not knowing how to behave. And if we do not take care, we may be beaten up! I mean that the “perfectly educated” young gentleman, after crowding everybody with his friends, would beat a woman who barely reached the level of his shoulder and a 5 year old boy!!!!!!!!!!! This was his perception about education: the smallest and helpless listen without question the most powerful one! Well, in this case why we wonder that in our country the statistics on violence against women and children have reached unbelievable rates??? !!!!!!!!!!

Luckily for me and my child, this story has ended well: a kind gentleman, located right next to us set immediately the situation with the turbulent young fellows. Unfortunately, things were settled from man to man. Who is somewhat sensitive to the gender dimension and nuances, knows what I mean. I do not want to think what would have happened if nobody would have defended us!

On World Teacher’s Day I send my best to all the good teachers who understand to make a good job, thinking that the way our society looks like and will look like in the future depends mostly on their work and effort! I know that is not always easy, I know that sometimes they have to fill up the educational gaps of some parents, too tired and busy, I know that things are not always as we would like them to be. But I ask them not to forget that all our hopes are turning to them, because their hands are forming people. Every single day!