Elevating Society: The True Path to Progress
August 13, 2024
We can write endlessly about the problems we face and analyze their causes, but what really matters is the solution. There are no quick fixes, but some short-term actions can have a meaningful impact. For example, we can start by keeping our island clean and raising awareness about the importance of maintaining a clean environment. Another initiative could be launching a campaign to promote physical activity and tackle obesity. However, the real solution is elevating our society through education and knowledge.
Creating a knowledge-based society and embracing a meritocratic approach is essential. It’s about putting the right person in the right place. This does not just mean increasing the number of highly educated individuals. It is also about nurturing practical skills and fostering the right attitude in nonacademics. This comprehensive approach requires reforming our educational system, one of the most challenging sectors to change. Such reform will demand significant investment and resources, but above all, it will require wisdom and insight to understand and implement this vision.
We can already see some of the effects of improving education in the municipality of Bonaire. However, it is difficult to assess the impact as the influx of well-educated Dutch and other professionals and the rapid population growth are also contributing factors. Add to this the explosive growth of tourism, and the results become even more complicated to pinpoint.
In Curaçao, we do not fully grasp the importance of education. A small but telling example: people here often boast about the grade they received for their thesis, yet no one knows what the thesis was about, nor do they ask about its content. In our society, it is always about the presentation, seldom about the substance.
Another example is a minister expressing doubts about the value of Willemstad’s UNESCO World Heritage status. He argues that it hinders investment and offers little economic benefit. He would rather see fifteen-story buildings rise. Similarly, medical specialists often believe their value can only be measured by exorbitant salaries and are convinced of their irreplaceability, regardless of the consequences for the public if their income is capped.
These examples illustrate why we must elevate our education system. Too many people cannot think beyond money and economics. They cannot appreciate other values because they can only measure worth in terms of money—the more, the better. This inability to think critically or value other perspectives is why they fail to grasp the need for educational reform.
Willemstad is our history, our identity. Walking through Otrobanda is like traveling through time. We walk in the footsteps of Piar, Brion, Haitian emperor, union leaders, and statesmen. How can the minister quantify this in monetary terms?
If we, as a society, do not elevate ourselves both collectively and individually, we will continue to decline. The path forward is clear: we must invest in education, cultivate wisdom, and cherish our cultural heritage. Only then can we truly progress.
Miguel Goede
Comments