United Nations International Day of Education January 24, 2026 Feature: Begging for a Seat in School

Feature: UN International Day of Education, January 24, 2026

 Begging for a Seat in School

Dr Abe V Rotor

This is the most haunting painting I've ever seen. It is a contradiction of society - and to mankind. How do you interpret the painting?  Painting by Nikolay Petrovich Bogdalov-Belsky (1868–1945), a Russian artist.

Begging for a Seat in School

- Neutral Morality in Disguise

 

"He who feels for the needy

  with but some coins is a fool,

  in a world deaf to a poor boy

  begging for a seat in school." - avr

It pains me so much - personally and as a part of humanity - 
to see a boy beggar in rags, or incognito walking with us, 
or abandoned in some dingy corner, when the world proudly 
proclaims, "never in history has Homo sapiens, the thinking, 
reasoning man, reached the pinnacle of progress way, way 
above the banner of enlightenment." 

Wrong. I still feel guilty seeing the likes of this young beggar. 

millions of them around the world - in rich and poor countries,

industrialized and agricultural, for this is not a matter of mercy,
not even compassion - or neutral morality.  Words come easy, 
mother statements as universal truth, prayers are empty still.~  

  

A foreign student from the Middle east at the UST Graduate School c. 1996 gave me this almost worn out reproduction meticulously wrapped in plastic as a souvenir and as an expression of gratitude to me as his professor in natural science. "I carried this with me," he said, "as a source of challenge with the hope that I will succeed in my studies - and to be of help later to children like this boy.  Now I am going back to my country."  

I was speechless. I examined the painting.  There is no name - title and artist, or any note for that matter. A good follower of this blog mentioned the painter artist in passing - for which I am grateful to him. The painter, based on his style and subject apparently belonged to the post classicism era at the dawn of realism, when art began to transcend to the people, which we know today as people's art."*

A disturbing scene to Maslow -

    could he have been wrong?

What is self-actualization

    to the striving throng?

What's good is the Bastille trilogy -

    pillars of modern society:

equality, fraternity,

    liberty - sans dignity?

Motherhood words may come easy;

    they cannot be mistaken,

for the lips that speak of promise

    are easily forgotten.

And the world goes on as it seems;

    a beggar boy, its conscience:

lost youth, lost hope, lost future

    in the midst of affluence.

The door is jarred to full view

    and knocking wouldn't lend an ear;

indifference makes man blind

    or takes him to the rear.

He who feels for the needy

    with but some coins is a fool,

in a world deaf to a poor boy

    begging for a seat in school. ~

  

 Typical scenes in marginalized societies mainly in metropolitan suburbs. 

(Internet photos) ~

"Please sir I want some more" - from Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens 

Reactions
The way I interpret the painting is that everyone has a chance to experience the normal life of a person. Even though someone is unfortunate to life, he has the right to experience also the things that a normal boy can get. Poverty is never a hindrance to continue life and to improve ones life status. Even if the boy is a beggar, he has also dreams that he wants to achieve. It is heart melting what the painting shows. Some may discriminate these people but we must never underestimate the capabilities of each of us, because we will never can tell who can really be successful and find fulfillment and happiness in life.
Mary Beth C. Galleto, St Paul University QC

The painting portrays a child watching a group of children in the school while studying. I think the child is envious of the children who are studying because their parents can afford their education while in his case, he’s just standing outside the room and can’t do anything but only to stare at them. It’s a sad reality that many children nowadays can’t go to school because they can’t afford the tuition. One of the main reasons why this is happening is because of poverty. Yet we can overcome this problem by doing something for ourselves, we can go to a public school, study hard, aim for high grades, attain our goal to finish studies and to have a good job in the future.
Maveric Cabardo, SPUQC
II- BST

It made me realized how lucky I am experiencing all the comfort in life. And for having the opportunity to study in a good school. The boy is a representation of a person who has the complete determination in everything that he does, no matter what the hindrances are.
Chiara Alyssa Cochico, SPUQC

Light from the Old Arch, AVRotor, UST