The Late Miriam Defensor's Quote on a True Teacher

Mechel T. Santiago

Right now, I think about some people who made an impact on my life. Yes, I didn't do well back then. I confess that one teacher who flunked me in high school economics was the same teacher who helped me understand it! Here's a quote from the late Miriam Defensor-Santiago. People may call her disrespectful, unreasonable, etc. However, behind Miriam's feisty demeanor was someone who was still willing to step aside when she was wrong. Miriam made a tactless comment about China and then apologized. 

I thought about my situation between two teachers. One was an unreasonable math teacher who terrorized ignorant students. The other teacher was my MDS-style teacher. The MDS-style teacher helped me through when I failed economics. That's why I end up saying that I'd rather have my MDS-style teacher any day over that unreasonable mathematics teacher. 

I still remember how MDS did her tirades during the Corona Impeachment Trial. Impeachment trials are so cumbersome; that's why I prefer shifting from presidential to parliamentary. Some people are just pro-economic charter change but don't understand the bigger picture. As I looked into the education system, I thought, "Why aren't we getting more teachers like MDS?" The answer lies with the system. MDS became an advocate for constitutional reform. 

The Philippine education system's long-standing problems are many. One problem I'd like to highlight is that the Philippine education system cares more about grades than learning (read here). I might rephrase it by saying, "We grade our students based more on what they're able to memorize than what they're able to learn." Sure, we need to memorize basic arithmetic and basic concepts. However, the problem is that we're engaged with too much memorization and too little understanding. Rote memorization can be helpful, but it can also be stressful. In mathematics class, it's often the argument, "When am I going to use this?" Sadly, the problem isn't related to just mathematics class but also every subject!

The result is that teachers end up terrorizing ignorant students. I'd dare say that such teachers become ignorant themselves. In fact, my crazy mathematics teacher is still teaching elementary math even after more than 10 years! As I think about my MDS-style teacher, she explains really well. The problem is that the Philippine education system is this...

Sad to say, but this is a caricature that speaks volumes. When the education system cares more about grades than learning, grades will either drop or become nothing more than a decoration (read here). Honestly, I've been having difficulty recalling some basic historical facts. I even forgot Jose Rizal's birthday last June 19! It's easy to remember martial law (September 21) but not other dates. I might even talk about science. I even have to Google to understand why storms hit during the -ber months the most. This may be why we've got a lot of ignorant teachers (the type to become terrors) over true teachers who desire to cure ignorance. It's because terror teachers are ignorant themselves.

When I think about it, MDS may be the best president the nation never had. Sure, I didn't like how she reacted when the late Fidel V. Ramos won, or when she chose President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., as her running mate. However, I always felt that the Philippines could've benefited from her Caring Tiger Mother persona.