Guns before Pens.

We live in a world where the leaders think buying guns and bombs are more of a necessity than books. Do these nations think we need more soldiers than teachers? Do guns come before pens?

The United States of America has the highest Defence budget in the world, then on the second number comes the second-biggest economy; China. While the USA’s military budget stands at $717 Billion, the education budget is nowhere near the 3 digits; it stands at $68 Billion.

I could spell out bigger numbers that are being spent globally. But that doesn’t show the effects of the lack of funds in other departments—mainly education budgets that take a hit around the world and how it affects a common man.

Supposedly bringing our own country in question, no different. The reason for the bad quality education emerges from the conditions of a public school. By now, all of us have the same picture in our heads.

The severity of deteriorating conditions. The barely spinning fans and absent teachers due to insufficient pays. Mainly, the deficiency of proper infrastructure and discipline. 

So I ask, you put yourself in the shoes of that common man; because I sit here with my privilege and write about all that is wrong with them from behind a screen. The actual victims are those who need proper education but choose to pick up a gun because that would provide them with a better future.

Mainly due to the advantages that come from joining the military or becoming a criminal. Since broken fans are not feeding their families, the privilege and power that comes with guns do.

The main reason for this is due to the large global expenditure on the said department.

The US population surpasses 300 million, and the country is said to have one of the unequal education systems in the developed world. One has the availability of options depending on their social status. According to the OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), an American child belonging to a low-income family has far less chance of going for higher education.

Even if they do, they would be drowning in debt for the rest of their life. Someone like Barack Obama, who was once the president of the country, could not pay his student loans until he reached his forties.

From a personal viewpoint, depending on the research, some parallels can be drawn between the US and Pakistan. Being a developing country, Pakistan is still far behind in numbers. However, the defense budget of the country still surpasses the education budget. A country where there’s a lack of jobs, education and the majority of the people live under the poverty line. 

Yet, as Barett claims we might not be able to fix the system in one day. However, that does not mean that better budget allocation won’t help. Per pupil increase in funding means better outcomes of the generation’s future. Which, in turn, means high literacy rates.

Is that not reason enough to put pens before guns now? Through the facts represented above, do you still think we need more guns? And not a book in every child’s hand?