Massive illiteracy

Huh? We often talk about population explosion (be dia be ny ankizy zany) and the poverty that goes with it. But a third consequence is often overlooked.

Who is it? Who is massive illiteracy. The descent into hell of school education. Where, in these conditions of widespread poverty, going to school has become a luxury.

I’m not talking about the French High School here. No, I’m talking about the basic EPP (Educational Public School). Huh? Oh yes, even the modest tuition fees of Fram teachers, the minimum school supplies, the cafeteria or other food… all of this comes at a cost.

A cost that not many families can afford. Has anyone measured the “miala an daharana” rate, that is, the school dropout rate? It must be quite high.

A nation that in twenty years will be composed mostly of illiterates, doesn’t that concern anyone? No, whatever, let’s have some fun first, with water jets and fireworks.

By the way, on reflection, it won’t even be in 20 years. The cycle began 16 years ago, so in four years, it will be rock ‘n’ roll. And it’s already happening today, when we see, for example, these BEPC results plummeting…

… or even these baccalaureate candidates who collapse from starvation during sports tests because they don’t eat enough every day?

“If you want to destroy a country, there’s no point in waging a bloody war that could last decades and cost dear lives. All you have to do is destroy its education system and rampant corruption. Then, you have to wait twenty years and you’ll have a country made up of ignoramuses and run by thieves. It will be very easy for you to defeat them.”

Well… well, here we are, tompokolahy sy tompokovavy. Kely sisa kely sisa… dia vitaaaa tanteraka?

Indeed, it seems so. And some people go so far as to claim that these poor fools are happy; it’s appalling. The joyride of happy fools, you know.

You might ask me, in this country, what’s the point of going to school? When the most mediocre reach the highest positions, through shenanigans, corruption, and other means? Where knowledge no longer has a place, replaced by money?

Except that those who will access this money will be a handful. A tiny handful, like a tiny island submerged by an ocean of misery and poverty.

Zay zany sisa ilay Madagasikara… vitaaa as my grocer would say (for a change from my guardian).. Tena hoe nanenganiny tanteraka. Caca boudin ilay nihidy kizo eh?

The worst thing is that things have sunk so low that even getting back to the ground floor will be mission impossible. I don’t know if anyone has fully appreciated the level the country is currently at. Actually, I don’t think so.

Zay zany koa, what else do you want me to tell you? Get out? Well, even that has become very complicated these days.

The downward spiral will continue, inevitably. Especially when we keep trying to do the same things over and over again, hoping, as the saying goes, to get different results.

Well, no, sorry, it’ll just go from bad to worse. Mahaiza mihonona, aza misosoka alahelo intsony lol.