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TFiii NATION'S T.EADING NEWSpApEn
National News
ffi ducators from public and private
ffi4$ " schools on T[esday expressed
ffi X E corrc€rrraboutthe"nohomework"
*&# proposals in Congress, saying
they might promote "wrong values', among
students.
Proposals made by lawmakers to ban
homework for students in both public and
private schools - across all basic education
levels - did not sit well with the Teachilrs'
Dignity Coalition (TDC) and the Federation
of Assobiations of Private Schools &Admin-
istrators (EAPSA).
Both groups urgeil lawmakers as well
as the Department of Education (DepEd)
which supporte{ the bills, to consider their
implications on learners and the education
system as a whole
TDC said homework should not be seen
as a burden but as.an avenue to instil dis-
cipline and responsibility among learners.
"Our teachers are trained educbtors, [so]
we know the value of homework,', said TDC
National Chairyerson Benjo Basas.
A former public school teacher of Baesa
High School in Caloocan City, Basas noted
that doing homework teaches a student not
only about the subject matte4 but also about
good values. "Homework is not intended to
make life difficult for our students,,' he said.
On the contrary Basas believed that
homework was all "about discipline, re-
sponsibility and continuity of learning." He
added that doinglhomework also promoted
quality time when family members help out
the learner to complete the task at hand. "It
may also strengthen family bonding - thus
quality time."
FAPSA President Eleazardo Kasi-
lag warned about the impact of the iino'
homework?' bills if they are enacted. ,,Our
larrymakers should consider the situation in
our country" he said. "Homelvork helps to
sustain the flow of lesson-s tafiOI banning it
for non-academic reasons such as bondlng
time'at home is contrary to the vision of
education,?'.IGsilag said.
Spying that students do npt have the
."innate" discipline, Kasilag noted that,.we
should ban what hinders them from study-
ing l[ke social media, untimety malling or
computer games, but not libmework."
IGsilag also lamented how the lawmak-
ers have "practically padded our curriculum
with eveffiing" -foom illegal drugs preven-
tion, election duties, surveying population
census, disaster, nutrition, seminars and
training, mass immunizations, community
mapping, deworming, and feeding - among
others. These efforts, he added, are nothing
but "pa-pog" points. "Theyare not educators
they just need sustaining votes for longer
powe4" he added.
Deputy Speaker Evelina Escudero has
filed House Bill (HB) No. BGl1 which seeks
to remove homework as a class requirement
$ PAq''e -q"
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
and limit school activities to the campus.
Escudero said "homework assignments
can deprive students and parents pre-
cious quality time, for rest, relaxation and
interaction after school hours and even on
weekends."
Citing studies suggesting that "home-
work does impact upon fami$ life," Quezon
City Rep. Alfred Vargas filed a similal pro-
posal through HB 3S83 which focuses on
stopping teachers foom giving assignments
orhomework on weekends
DepEd is backing the bills. In an inter-
view, Education Secretary Leonor Briones
said the department already'had an ,,exist-
ing policy" whict discourages the grving of
homework to learners. "Alam naman natin
na kung minsan, ang homework, hindi na-
man ang batA alrg gumagawa pagdating sa
bahay," she said.
Briones was referring to the DepEd
Mernorandum No. 392 series of 2010 iryhich
was issued by former Education Secretary
Armin Luistro.
The memorandum banned schools from
assigning homework during weekends ,,for
pupils to enjoy their childhood."
"f am infavorof this," Briones saidwhen
asked if DepEd supports the said proposals
to ban homework. She said that despite the
Luistro directive, there are still schools that
continue to pssigU homework to students,
"that's why our lawmakers pnoposed" these
bills.