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Mandatory ROTC won’t teach discipline, nationalism but blind obedience — party-list solon


Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago on Tuesday said the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program, which is being proposed in senior high school, will not teach discipline and nationalism but blind obedience among students.

“Ang natuturo po on the ground sa eskwelahan, imbes na disiplina, yung pagsunod na hindi ka nagtatanong. Hindi disiplina, kundi blind obedience lang,” Elago said at a forum. “Pinapatay yung pagiging critical ng kabataan.” 

On May 20, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the measure making ROTC mandatory in senior high school, which aims to inculcate the spirit of nationalism among the Filipino youth. 

However, Elago suggested conducting first a thorough study on the current optional ROTC implementation under the National Service Training Program (NSTP) to claim if it is really effective in inculcating nationalism.

“Hindi pa po na-eevaluate yung National Service Training Program, na ngayon po ay nakapailalim  ang opsyonal na ROTC,” she said.

 

 

‘Abuse, discrimination, corruption’

Elago said Kabataan forwarded to authorities cases of abuse, discrimination and corruption surrounding ROTC but they remained unresolved. 

“Hangga’t nangyayari ang mga abuso na yan, hindi po tayo papayag na maipasok ang mandatory ROTC sa senior high school,” she said.

Elago said if the government wants to inculcate the spirit of nationalism among students, she is suggesting overhauling the curriculum on basic and tertiary education.

For his part, Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns – Caloocan Chapter’s Mark Christian Bonganay agreed that ROTC will not help in inculcating nationalism among youth, but a better curriculum would.

“Kasi sa ROTC ang pag-aaral natin dun, halimbawa, matuto kang maghawak ng armas, gumapang, tumakbo. Pwede tayong matutong sumunod doon sa mga commands sa atin. Pero  yung diwa ng nasyonalismo, hindi po natin nakikita sa ROTC,” he said.

Instead of ROTC, Bonganay said Filipino and Panitikan, which were ordered to be excluded from college core subjects, should be made mandatory in schools to ingrain nationalism among youth.

Another proposal similar to the mandatory ROTC is still pending before the Senate committee on education, arts and culture. — RSJ, GMA News

Tags: news, rotc, sarahelago
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