As we come to the end of our time at St Margaret’s, we reflect upon the incredible education we have received, and the plethora of opportunities St Margaret’s has given us.
In Australia, we often take for granted the privileges we receive, particularly when it comes to education. For us, school is part of our lives; stepping into our midi skirt, tying our shoelaces, packing our bags and walking through the school gates is routine. For us, being able to read and write are common skills that the vast majority of us possess. For us, the prospect of seeking tertiary education or employment or both following our school years is not a farfetched or fanciful possibility but a likely probability. For others, it is not the same.
It is a devasting fact that in some other countries, females are not afforded the opportunity to even set foot in a classroom but rather, are persecuted for actively seeking an education. The World Bank Group estimates that globally 131 million girls remain out of school and of the 792 million illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women. Sadly, this year, we have seen these statistics in action with girls and female teachers now banned from Afghan secondary schools under the Taliban’s control. Such discrimination continues to occur globally. Even in countries where girls are allowed to seek an education, school-level barriers, such as insufficient sanitary resources or even the fear of assault in multi-sex bathrooms often decreases the accessibility of schooling for girls. This can be further exacerbated by, house-hold barriers, such as the expectation that females will stay at home and undertake domestic work.
How lucky are we to be attending a school like St Margaret’s in this day and age. Even though Australia was one of the very first countries in the world to give women the right to vote in 1902, women then were usually expected to uphold traditional roles and were mostly financially dependent on men. The empowerment of women has been a work in progress for the last century with every successive generation wearing down the barriers. And thanks to the perseverance and determination of the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent to pioneer a school like ours, and the support of all of the staff at St Margaret’s throughout our schooling journey it is our turn to make change. The world is ours for the taking. Although the battle for gender equality continues, the experiences of people in the past and overseas are starkly contrasted to our own. We are not only able to attend a school that provides an education to females, but a school that is dedicated to empowering women.
As students at St Margaret’s, we have the privilege of having one of the best educations in the country. The opportunities we have seem almost endless. Every girl at the school has the chance to be involved in and excel in sport, music, academics, culture, and philanthropy. Take academics as an example, we can take part in a wide variety of competitions such as Olympiads, short story writing and even rocket launching competitions on circular drive. Furthermore, in senior years students can choose to start learning industry required skills at Tafe or even begin a university subject. Whatever students choose, they are supported in every possible way.
We are so privileged here at St Margaret’s, that we are even enabled to give back to our community and those that may not be as fortunate as we are. Just last term we saw the huge impact our school can have on the lives of others through the ponytail project. It was inspiring to see the overwhelming support from friends, staff and the wider school community which allowed us to raise over $120,000 for the cancer council and the Minotti trust. As well as this, students’ participation in the Sony foundation camp, International Day of the Girl Celebrations with Solar Buddy, birthing kits initiative and the numerous fundraising events organised by the philanthropy group, has allowed us to continue to assist the broader community.
So, when turning our minds back to those women who are not afforded anywhere near the same level of education as us, the question becomes: is it enough to just acknowledge our opportunities and reflect upon them once, maybe twice, a year? The answer to this is no. It is our responsibility as young women in a highly privileged position to make the most of our education. Achieving this may feel like a very demanding and complicated task. But, it is really quite simple. You must always do your best. Engage in class. Take your learning seriously. Ask questions. Seek feedback. And, above all do not throw away the education that many women could only dream of.
This week marks the year 12s final week of secondary school education. So, on behalf of our year level we want to thank St Margaret’s and all of the staff, for empowering through our education and preparing us the next stage in our lives. And of course, we must also say a heartfelt thankyou to our parent for all your support over the years and for all of the sacrifices that you have made to give us the best education possible.
As we celebrate our 12 years of schooling, we want to remind younger cohorts that it is not about being the best sportswomen, or academic or musician that makes your education worthwhile, but rather it’s about always challenging yourself and releasing the potential you have if you embrace the multitude of opportunities St Margaret’s has on offer. And as for the graduating year 12 students, no matter where your life takes you, we urge you to keep learning, if not for yourselves, for the millions of women that can’t.
Zara Campbell and Olivia Donoghue.
Karen Gorrie