As admitted by DepEd top officials in a recent Senate hearing, it is expected that around four million will become out-of-school youth this year and, thus, deprived of their fundamental right to education by Duterte’s anti-people blended educational program.

More than half of school age youths in the hinterland villages of Southeast Negros failed to enroll due the mounting difficulties attendant with this blended learning program, the deteriorating socio-economic situation not only because of the pandemic but mainly as a result of the US-Duterte’s neoliberal economic policies, and the immense demand of production work.

The calendar year 2020-2021 will start a few weeks from now. The enrolment coincides with the corn harvest season and the “opening” of classes with land preparation and cultivation period.

For the rural youth, blended learning is anathema to their desire for an education that is relevant and in sync with their class and sectoral demands and interests.

This particular situation, and the over-all worsening economic condition and instensifying state terrorism, will only drive the youths in their vast numbers to the path of armed revolution by enlisting in the NPA and also by expanding manifold times their revolutionary organizations and mass movements.

The rottenness of the ruling semi-colonial and semi-feudal system as futher unmasked by the pandemic is indubitable and only by waging a National Democratic Revolution through People’s Protracted War can it be overthrown in order to pave way for a bright socialist future.
KM-Southeast Negros is determined to broaden and intensify its education work among the youths by conducting PADEPA instructors’ trainings and establishing PADEPA core of instructors in their mass organizations and villages.

Through PADEPA, out of school youths and those disenfranchised by Duterte’s blended learning wlll be educated and trained within an educational framework that is truly patriotic, scientific and mass-oriented. ###