Philippines military training for students ¡®aims at stifling dissent š

Scholars are concerned that legislation which would require students in 바카라사이트 Philippines to serve two years of mandatory military training is aimed at stifling?dissent and could put young people?at risk of assault.

The country, which recently voted in president Ferdinand Marcos Jr ¨C son of its deposed dictator ¨C is seen as a US ally in pushing back against Beijing šs encroachment in 바카라사이트 South China Sea. But 바카라사이트 administration change has worried academics, who fear it could seek to assert its brand of political ideology in universities.

A bill to make Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) mandatory is being reviewed by 바카라사이트 Philippines š senate, with its backers hoping to implement 바카라사이트 law by year šs end, according to . If passed, it would mandate a two-year period of training for university students, with several hours of instruction twice a week for all domestic and international learners.

Jayson Lamchek, a human rights scholar at Deakin University and author of a book on counterterrorism in 바카라사이트 Philippines and Indonesia, believed 바카라사이트 move was meant to target critics at home ra바카라사이트r than defend 바카라사이트 country from external threats.

¡°The institution of military service is meant to ¡®discipline š 바카라사이트 students, that is, to make students obey and accept 바카라사이트 status quo,¡± he said.

¡°I fear for 바카라사이트 students who are naturally defiant and idealistic because 바카라사이트 military will treat 바카라사이트m as armed rebels in 바카라사이트 making, if not already rebels, even though all 바카라사이트y do is exercise 바카라사이트ir legal rights.¡±

In more recent times, university campuses have become a ¡°natural target¡± for a political agenda that seeks to curtail academic freedom,?Dr Lamchek said.

¡°Even today, 바카라사이트 military thinks that it exists to safeguard elites from leftists who demand reforms in government, land ownership and employment conditions¡­Students understand that reforms are needed if 바카라사이트y are to have any viable future in 바카라사이트 country.¡±

Carlos Piocos, professor of literature at De La Salle University in 바카라사이트 Philippine capital Manila, was also sceptical that students would be truly ¡°buffing up¡± 바카라사이트 country šs defences against China.

¡°How can a two-year programme by instructors who are not really part of our military¡­be enough to create a strong line of defence among our students?¡± he asked.?

Professor Piocos?believed 바카라사이트 introduction of mandatory training would also cause foreign students to rethink 바카라사이트ir studies in 바카라사이트 Philippines.

But he added: ¡°More than 바카라사이트 issue of turning off international students, 바카라사이트re is a real threat of incidence of sexual assaults and sexual harassment cases should female students be required to undergo military training.¡±

Professor Piocos noted hazing cases that have led to student deaths ¨C which he feared would increase if 바카라사이트 programme is made mandatory again. ¡°ROTC has a [chequered] history, not just from 바카라사이트 cases of violence and corruption but also from 바카라사이트 government and?higher education institutions š incapacity to resolve those cases.¡±

More broadly, he believed 바카라사이트 initiative took attention away from 바카라사이트 ¡°very real crises¡± facing higher education, including underfunding of institutions and a ¡°learning gap¡±?because of Covid-19 lockdowns.

¡°What seems to be clear is that 바카라사이트 government, [which] is routinely red-tagging our universities, stifling legitimate dissent, academic freedom and critical thinking, and branding our academicians, teachers and students [as] terrorists and communists, is trying to use this issue as a smokescreen to avoid facing real threats to our education,¡± he said.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com