I stand here today because of a simple promise: that effort mattered. Coming from a place with no inherited privilege to cushion failure and no wealth to buy a second chance, hard work was our only currency. Our only hope was a system that—despite its flaws—still believed in merit, fairness, and the sacred promise of accessible education. But when transparency dims, it isn’t just a system that breaks. It is a thousand quiet dreams that vanish before they ever get the chance to bloom. Every generation deserves to know that opportunity is earned through grit—not bought through influence. Integrity isn’t a favor; it is the bedrock of our collective future. ✊ Buildings can be rebuilt. Systems can be restructured. But once a young person’s faith in fairness is shattered, it leaves a silence no institution can easily fill. #saverducation #studentprotest #jantarmantarprotest ’s