(English version only)
Dear readers,
About a fortnight ago, a Cambodian boy was filmed hawking souvenirs in 11 languages and dialects other than his mother tongue (Mandarin, Japanese, Thai, Korean, French, German, Spanish, Malay, Filipino, Cantonese and Hainanese) outside a temple in Angkor Wat. While his talent seems too good to be true, public attention has again been drawn to the long-lasting problem of unschooled children and dropout students in some countries. What people usually describe "education" is an investment for the future. Admittedly, the Cambodian boy's road to better jobs and improved lifestyles may be paved by education, but the definition of "education" varies with its functionalities. In my opinion, "education" being an investment for the future is a misnomer. It should be a right to knowledge acquisition and value formation.