Path Through change

Aaliyah Dimaudtang

Aftertwo years of break that started in 2020 and ended in the middle of 2022, face-to-face classes are returning all over the country. In all public schools, it has been stated that the first day of classes will start on August 22, 2023. It was exciting for many students, especially younger students, that during the two years of learning in their own place, learning and answering modules through modular and distance learning has a lot of differences when it comes to personal face- to-face. Going back during the pandemic, a lot has changed in the lives of every person and also the system of education. The education system of the previous two years shows that many students learned from the lessons through modular and distance learning, but also shows that some students struggled at that time due to financial situations, showing that it is not the same for everyone. Furthermore, this shows that in a pandemic, everyone is in the same situation but everyone is in different boats.

Caveat

Paradox on the Pursuit of Knowledge

Jahziel Jireh Obedoza

Unyielding curiosity, Insatiable desire to explore the unknown, and the unwavering passion for the truth - perfectly encapsulates the human condition, our proclivity for knowledge drives us to explore, to discover, and to innovate but to unshackle the mind, freedom is indispensable Academic freedom, like all forms of liberty, is a fragile concept. The ability to challenge orthodoxies and established ways of thinking and acting without fear of repercussion, or institutional censorship is a fundamental tenet of higher education yet remains threatened by persistent and pernicious pressures.

From the suppression of academic research to the censorship of scholarly publication to even accounts of red-tagging, the absence of due regard for academic freedom is conspicuous in the Philippine jurisprudence.

The University of the Philippines, hailed as the premier university of the country and home to a great many scholars and scientists ,is under fire for allegedly being a breeding ground for radical activism and communist rebels. A bastion for the expression of ideas, beliefs and advocacies, UP practicing their right to critical inquiry and exposition threatens existing claims to knowledge,privilege, access to power.

The essence of higher education does not lie in passive transmission of knowledge but in the inculcation of a mature indepence of mind. These institutions are not only a knowledge producer but also a social critic. As a prominent figure in society, academics carry the power to demarcate a shift in the political and social rhetoric of the country. To deem the students as threats is hypocritical and sets a precedent of weaponizing patriotism and undermines the facade of exceptionalism they have a predilection for showing

During the past months, there has been a controversial issue that many people have talked about, and that is the return of face-to-face classes. It has been signed by the Vice President and Secretary Sara Z. Duterte, DepEd Order No. 034, series of 2022, sets the start of classes on August 22 and will end on July 7, 2023. Changing from the previous way of learning to face-to-face will show that many students are more willing to learn because they will be able to use the resources that only schools can provide, and compared with online