Aiza Seguerra wants accessible education for youth

National Youth Commission (NYC) chair Aiza Seguerra. KING RODRIGUEZ/Presidential Photo

The National Youth Commission (NYC) is pushing for accessible education for the youth, especially in the countryside, saying the lack of it has become one of the root causes of extremism.

“Because may lack po ng reach ng access ng education, dito po nag-uugat ang tinatawag nating extremism dahil po walang counternarrative,” NYC Chairperson Aiza Seguerra said in a Palace briefing.

But Seguerra warned that groups with political agenda should not infiltrate schools and brainwash children with their own propaganda.

“Minsan din kasi nagagamit ang ating mga eskwelahan ng mga grupo na masasabi nating may iba ring agenda,” he said.

“I’ll be very firm about this. Let’s lay off our schools. Let’s make sure that the youth will study. Ang mga kabataan natin ay matututo at mag-isip para sa kanilang mga sarili,” Seguerra added.

Malacañang earlier tagged three Lumad schools in Mindanao allegedly spreading subversive ideas.

President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to bomb these schools for allegedly having links with communist rebels.

“We are asking the President to not do that,” Seguerra said.

“We want to make sure that all schools ay hindi maaapektuhan ng kahit anong war, kahit anong power struggle na nangyayari,” the NYC chair added.

A Youth Manifesto for Just and Lasting Peace presented at the 2017 International Youth Day Celebration in Iligan City on Sunday said schools should be free from interference of “state or non-state armed groups.”

“Peace zones, including schools, hospitals and religious structures must be free from the presence of state or non-state armed groups. Our government must also exhaust all efforts to ensure access to basic social services despite conflict and to uphold and respect for human rights at all times,” the manifesto read.