THE COORDINATING Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA) pulled out of membership from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
In a statement released on Sunday, Feb. 2, COCOPEA asked the President to withdraw the council’s membership from the state-run anti-insurgency task force to “preserve the essentiality of academic freedom and the vital role it plays in a democratic society.”
“After further consultation among its member associations, and upon review of its core advocacies, COCOPEA has opted to strengthen its education initiatives by preserving its collaborative role outside of a formal membership in the NTF-ELCAC,” the statement read.
COCOPEA is an umbrella organization of 1,500 private educational institutions nationwide, from faith-based mission schools to nonsectarian schools, universities, colleges, and tech-voc institutes.
In the press release, the council expressed its desire to continue its role as an independent non-government organization representing the interests and concerns of the sector to “safeguard quality education in the country.”
To note, in November last year, the anti-insurgency task force announced the inclusion of COCOPEA in the executive committee to intensify information education campaigns against recruiting insurgency groups.
Despite the withdrawal of the council, it will continue to further NTF-ELCAC’s mission to achieve unity, peace, security, and socioeconomic development and represent the private education sector in peace-making dialogues.
