IF ACADEMIC FREEZE IS THE ANSWER, WHAT IS THE QUESTION?

[a thread]

To students who are frustrated with gov't (in)action amid the education crisis:

In our pandemic-stricken educational system, what is the primary contradiction (or clash of interests) among all contradictions?

It is not between more privileged and less privileged students.

It is not between students and teachers.

It isn't even about students, parents, teachers, personnel vs their school admin.

It's sectors (students, parents, teachers, personnel, even school admin) vs Du30 regime.

These sectors have one goal in common: resumption of physical classes at the soonest time possible. This goal is hindered by the incompetence and criminal neglect of gov't.

Hence, our approach and demands must forge greater unities toward demanding action and holding Du30...

...regime accountable, rather than intensify existing contradictions among sectors that need to come together at this moment.

Students aren't isolated from other sectors. Similarly, the educational system isn't in a vacuum. From this perspective, we analyze "academic freeze".

The assertion that academic freeze will level the playing field among the Filipino youth does not fully consider the fact that our market-driven, commercialized and anti-democratic educational system has already left millions of students behind.

Before pandemic, out of 33 million Filipinos aged 5-20, as high as 3 million are already out of school. Prolonging school closures will increase the number of students who can't go back to school even after we have controlled the spread of the virus, since they have already...

...lost interest, begun to work or started a family.

The learning gap between relatively privileged and poorer students will continue and widen even if an academic freeze is implemented. More privileged students can continue learning because they have access to resources:

like internet connection, books, tutors and conducive spaces.

While the demand has good intentions and is a manifestation of the suffering of many students, much study needs to be done before forwarding it as a blanket proposal across all levels and regions.

Closing schools for more months will adversely affect the overall development of students, especially the younger ones.

Since no school, municipality, province or city can freeze their academic calendars on their own while the rest of the country proceeds, ...

consensus must be built within and among sectors before such a demand can fly.

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