Coming out of Rhetorical Analysis and proceeding into Argument was a little sad for me, as I grew to really like writing about and finding underlying devices in magazines, books, and even on television. However, argument provided something different for me: It opened my eyes to the world. By writing argument essays, I was required to not only use personal experiences to convey my point, but to also use outside knowledge of what went/is going on in the world to answer controversial questions I had to take a stance on. As a result of using such insight, I began to be more opinionated and aware of certain situations around the globe. These situations ranged from past and modern-day terrorism, racism, and gun-control, to gender roles, athletics, and government. What stood out to me (and is still an interest of mine to this day) is education. Yes, I am a fan of education, but what is interesting about education, is how it perceived throughout the world. In the United States, education is a privilege. People actually leave their own countries to receive the quality education that this country has to offer. However, many other countries in the world see education as a right. For example, in the Middle East, it is common for males to have the right to an education and females to have none. My interest for the view on education grew even more when we began to discuss Malala in AP English. As a young girl, Malala Yousafzai defied the Taliban in Pakistan and demanded that girls be allowed to receive an education. She was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in 2012, but survived, and later became the youngest person to ever receive a Nobel Peace Prize for her fight for female education. Ms. McMahon told us that we would be discussing controversial issues, but I never knew that I would be so passionate about them. Taking a stance on a topic and writing about it, really made me enhance my debating abilities, made me more opinionated (in a good way), and reminded me that there are more serious and important things going on outside of Woburn (which seems to be my bubble).
Margarita Forbes
January 12, 2015
What
is education to you?
Malala
Yousafzai, a teenage Pakistani activist for female education and the
youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, once said that she wanted to tell students
in the UK that having the freedom to go to school is "very precious".
Education is such a thing that helps us
to gain self-confidence and lead a successful life in future. It introduces us
to the world of science and technology, what our world revolves around today. Moreover,
education doesn't mean only to memorize, in fact it means to gain practical
knowledge and understand the reality and world around us. Education means broadening my horizons,
better communication, and recognizing my place in the civilization I've been
born into.
However,
many students, especially in first world countries, do not realize how
“precious” education truly is. They
won’t always pay attention, will sleep in class, skip class, and may even drop
out of school altogether. We
need to appreciate education more in today's society, especially in first world
counties like that of the U.S. or the UK. Education is the most powerful asset
one can have, as it's the groundwork on which all great achievements are made
and fosters positive change in the world, such as the creation of new
inventions and new ideas.
But,
in countries like that of Pakistan where Malala Yousafzai lives, children envy
the education system in other counties. Sixteen-year-old
Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban for being outspoken about
her country’s education system. The Pakistani government spends seven times
more on its military than on education and banned girls from attending school.
Pakistan’s literacy rate is among the lowest in the world, with the number of
school aged children who don’t attend school is second highest globally. An estimated 25 million school age children
are missing an education in Pakistan- at least 13 million of them are girls. Malala
and many other students of the third country are deprived of the education they
deserve to have a brighter future and more opportunities for
accomplishments. Being deprived of
education simply makes students want to learn that much more. Children continue being denied their basic
human right- the right to learn.
The
Taliban is just one obstacle that Pakistanis face, especially the girls. Other obstacles include poverty, harassment
and the government’s failure to prioritize education. Both sexes suffer but girls have lower rates
of literacy and school attendance. What
students in countries like the U.S. and the UK do not realize is that while we
take education for granted, others would gladly like to be in our place. We live in the type of country where there is
a constant sense of security, a secure economy, and definitely a prioritization
of education.
For
me, a usual school day starts with waking up and then getting myself ready for
school. Then, I get driven there by my
dad. I have seven classes throughout my
day, with a lunch break in the middle of the day in the building which is
fairly new, being built a mere nine years ago.
At the end of the school day, I walk back home. There are also so many activities you can get
involved in at my school, such as sports or clubs. However, for someone like Malala, life like
mine is not so simple. Her school day
(if school is open that day), consists of being in the small and run down
building while in constant fear of the Taliban finding her and the rest of the
students. Activities after school do not exist, since many have to get home to
take care of and help family School is not constant, as it is common for it to
close as a result of the government or because of the Taliban coming. Yet, it is incredible to believe that while we
have education at our finger tips, we do not cherish it as much as others who
are deprived of it.
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