Youth orgs back Baguio students' call for city-wide academic break
Two youth organizations backed Baguio students' call for a city-wide academic break amid the ongoing pandemic.

On Saturday, Oct. 30, student councils from universities in Baguio City appealed in a joint letter to Mayor Benjamin Magalong, Rep. Mark Go, and Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President Levy Lloyd Orcales for a city-wide academic break.
This, after students from Saint Louis University held a candle-lightning protest and online rally to appeal for a break from online classes and academic requirements.
READ MORE: SLU students appeal for academic break
In a statement, Student Aid Network stressed that with almost two years of online learning, "students have carried the burden of government incompetence and compromised quality of education amid worsening mental health conditions."
"We, the various chapters of Student Aid Network nationwide, also support the call for a productive dialogue between the SLU administration and its student body on Nov. 9 and the call for a city-wide academic break on Nov. 12-17," the group said.
"Instead of making the educational system a priority, the regime continues to turn a blind eye on the clamor of the youth which seems to be more engaged in suppressing human rights, red-tagging, and prioritizing anti-poor policies only benefiting the select few. In such difficult times, the administration, including private universities, must be all ears on the demands of both students and faculty."
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Rise for Education (R4E) renewed its call for a safe return to school, citing the current learning setup that is "detrimental to the overall wellbeing of students and educators."
"Lives are lost over the unrealistic deadlines, insurmountable workload, and inaccessibility of education. With this, the need to open our schools heightens. The uproar regarding the plight of students has remained unaddressed for almost two years already," R4E underscored.
"Beyond demanding accountability from our government for their poor response to the pandemic’s effect on education, we also call for comprehensive plans that ensure the safety of the students, educators, and staff of schools and universities all over the country. Returning to schools with long-term solutions is long overdue already. Academic breaks continue to serve as band-aid solutions only. The Filipino education sector deserves better from our government."
READ MORE: Youth groups press anew for academic break, safe return to schools