‘No homework’ policy is no good

WE do not agree with the position of the Department of Education (DepEd) that a “no homework” policy, prohibiting teachers from assigning
academic work to be completed by students outside of regular school hours, is beneficial to Filipino students.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones recently engaged in a public pitch for the policy, which is now the subject of a couple of pending bills in
Congress. We have a great deal of respect for Secretary Briones’ knowledge and experience as an educator, and her arguments in favor of the
policy should be given careful consideration. Doing just that, however, leads to the conclusion that a solution other than what she and supportive
legislators are proposing is in order.

The arguments for a “no homework” policy ostensibly take into account the welfare of students, their families and teachers. Excessive homework
— or to state the argument more accurately, any homework at all — is physically taxing on students, many of them very young, after they have
already spent a full strenuous day in the classroom. Projects that students are expected to complete at home often pose a burdensome expense on
parents, who may not have a ready budget for the last-minute purchase of needed materials. Assigning homework also adds to the workload of
teachers, who must grade these assignments in addition to their everyday work of preparing lessons.

By banning homework, all these problems are avoided. Students are afforded proper time for rest and relaxation, and families are spared the
burden of unforeseen expenses, or time spent shopping for required materials that may be difficult to find on short notice. Teachers are also
spared the extra time and effort to check homework assignments, and can devote more time to classroom preparation and work. Secretary Briones
has also suggested the policy would be beneficial in allowing more time for children and parents to bond socially.

Those are all very reasonable considerations. Unfortunately, they completely overlook the trade-offs that may be more harmful in the long run by
eroding the quality of education, and as a consequence, the future competitiveness of young Filipinos.

Homework is a vital part of education, because it gives students the opportunity to apply knowledge gained in the classroom. This occurs in two
ways — not only by creatively applying the educational content, but also in giving students practice in developing good work habits and methods.
From a practical point of view, homework allows “more education” than can be fit into a few hours of a school day. And far from preventing
families from bonding, homework encourages parents to become more involved in their children’s educational activities.

Although the concern for the welfare of students and their families is appropriate, that welfare will be hurt in the long run if the students fall short
of the volume of educational content they can access, developing problem-solving and creative thinking skills, and parental awareness and
involvement in their educational activities. As a result of a “no homework” policy, Filipino students will be less prepared for higher education or the
workforce, and ultimately the entire country will suffer the consequences.

We suggest that, rather than a “no homework” policy, DepEd should review and modify existing policies regarding homework to ensure that they
meet productive goals. Homework should have clear educational objectives, and certainly should not pose undue physical and financial burdens on
students and their families. Those standards can be achieved, however, without resorting to banning homework entirely, and still ensure that our
youth are adequately prepared to take on the challenges of a competitive world

introduction – presenting some context and shaping your argument/thesis (with your side clearly indicated)
body of the paper – describing the problem in details, presenting opposing views, providing valid reasons (3-4 of them) to support your point,
anticipating and refuting objections of the opposite side
conclusion – restating your side of the argument and urging the audience to accept it.