The Right to Education

An abridged version of this post was published in the Letter to the Editor section of Philippine Daily Inquirer in its May 2006 issue. I am posting the full text of the article to voice out the sentiments of a parent of a child with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reach out to similarly-situated parents and educators who can make a difference in the lives of these children in the Philippines and elsewhere and give them the opportunity to be contributing members of society.

Education is one of the basic rights of a child and to deprive one of this very basic need is like taking one’s life itself. It is often said that giving a child the privilege of studying is perhaps the greatest inheritance that a parent can give to that child. It gives the child an identity, an affiliation, a devotion, a culture and a future. This is the reason why parents go through great lengths in choosing the best schools for their children - to ensure that they will get the best education that will provide them a good and fruitful life. To many, a good education will assure them of their own place in this world.

When we chose San Beda College Alabang (SBCA) as the school for our three children; an incoming senior high school student, an incoming freshman high school student and an incoming grade 4 student, we thought we made the right choice. Recent events, however, made us regret that decision particularly after what happened to my youngest child. My child who has been with the school since kinder, was denied readmission to Grade 4 (Level 9-10) for school year 2006 – 2007. . My child has Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) tendencies but is fully functional and over the years have beautifully coped with his condition in San Beda through the patience and understanding of well – meaning teachers and in the past even his guidance counselor and the principal who took as her personal mission the assurance of the well-being of my child.

This arrangement worked well until the new Principal and member of the Board of Admission of the SBCA who only assumed her position in the just concluded school year, gave us a letter informing us of the Board’s decision. My child was refused admission not because he committed a serious infraction but because he has Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, a condition afflicting so many children not only today but through times. As a result, my child is devastated and at a young age of nine is forced to deal with the emotional trauma of rejection brought about the Board's decision.

By the vice principal’s account, my child’s adviser and some teachers were against the decision on his non-admission. We have tried to appeal the decision to the Board but to no avail. We have sought audience with the Rector-President who would not even see us and simply referred the matter back to the Board. For an institution who depends on clients to survive, the Rector's refusal to meet us clearly shows how clients are valued at San Beda. We have paid more than a million of our hard-earned money to send our three children to that school and the Rector could not even spare us his time. Lesser companies receiving less from clients provide better customer service but we could not even get that and instead was dealt with the arrogance of its administrators.

Schools like San Beda would be quick on the draw to mention that they are not equipped to deal with the special needs of a child. Special needs in my son’s case mean some patience and understanding to help him cope with the requirements of his level. These are traits that teachers swore to undertake in their professions after their graduation from college and upon passing the Board exams. What a shame if they cannot give these small considerations to children who need it. True mentors who successfully deal with children with special needs know too well that the reward is priceless. Helping a child attain his or her full potential could very well be the true measure of the success of a teacher. Unfortunately, there are not too many teachers of this kind today. Contrary to the call of their profession, many teachers would rather teach their craft without distraction and are unwilling to deal with the individual needs of the child. This goes back to the administration of the school. School authorities formulate the rules and regulations that create the environment that will make the school child-friendly.

I would like to take this opportunity to open the eyes of school authorities and government officials to the difficulties faced by the growing number of parents and children afflicted with ADHD. One of the coping mechanisms in dealing with this condition is to ensure a stable and normal environment for the child. Acceptance is an important ingredient that could lead to the well-being of a child with ADHD. They need not be ostracized or penalized or discriminated for their condition. They do not need pity but needs understanding and patience in a stable environment. Our children do not need special schools but mentoring with nurturing in a normal environment.

For the record, ADHD is not a disease or an abnormality but is a condition. In the past, these kids were branded as malikot, or makulit but we dismissed this condition as typical of some children and teachers dealt with them in the same way they deal with other kids in a normal setting So when society decided that this is a disorder and gave it a name, school official began finding excuses not to give a chance to these kids and simply dismiss them. While they rid themselves of potential problems and irritants that may arise with the continued stay of children with ADHD in their school, they also conveniently forget their primary task of educating children. Let me stress that these are normal children who feel and recognize rejection as a result of some schools ‘ exclusion policies for children with ADHD. In a way, my son’s non-admission to the school is a form of discrimination and harassment by school authorities and a violation of his basic right to education. Perhaps, it is time to reexamine our priorities and look at the bigger picture in the education of our children.

Finally, I would like to address this concern to any regulatory body governing child's welfare and the educational system and seek your opinion on the decision of the school not to readmit my child for the coming school year. Can a school refuse admission to any child if he or she is suffering from a particular condition (Please note that he was with the school for the past five years despite this condition)? Does the school have a liability for the emotional trauma suffered by my son as a result of the Board's decision? What redress can we seek with regard to this seeming heartless decision undertaken by the school administrators?

These are the questions that have been nagging me the past few days. Time is of the essence as school will again start in a couple of months. My family needs the answers as we cope with my child's despair and gear for the challenges ahead. Meantime, san Beda continues to rake in millions and could not care less.