Youth group challenges Aquino to debate on K to 12
A youth group has challenged President Benigno Aquino III to a public debate on the issues surrounding the administration’s landmark education reform program, known as K to 12.
In a statement on Tuesday, League of Filipino Students national spokesperson Charisse Bañez said Aquino should clarify the issues regarding the K to 12 program before the Filipino people.
“President Aquino, his allies in Congress, the Inter-Agency Technical Working Group of DepEd, CHEd, DOLE and Tesda, and even business groups have been peddling a lot of lies regarding K to 12. We are challenging President Aquino to face us in a public debate televised nationwide to put an end to these lies once and for all,” Bañez said.
“Instead of the SC, President Aquino has a lot of explaining to do to the Filipino people. It’s them who’ll bear the brunt of K to 12,” she added.
The statement was issued by the militant youth group following the pronouncement made by Malacañang that it was ready to justify the K to 12 program before the Supreme Court.
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The group said the debate could be held at Plaza Miranda and in Mendiola.
The youth group maintained that the K to 12 program would only increase joblessness and drive more Filipinos to become migrant workers and not improve the quality of education.
Last week, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Magdalo party-list Representatives Gary Alejano and Francis Acedillo filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to declare the said education reform program as unconstitutional.
• Trillanes, lawmakers file petition vs ‘ambitious’ K-12 program
In a statement issued on Monday, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. defended the K to 12 program, saying it is essential for the country’s future.
The Department of Education (DepEd) said that it was also ready to implement the program.
The K to 12 program, which was enacted through the Republic Act No. 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, had been met with public criticism, particlularly from teachers, parents and lawmakers.
