What on Earth is Happening to the DepEd Learning Modules?
First it was simple typos, then frustrating inaccuracies, and now errors found in the DepEd Learning Modules are downright vulgar. What on earth is happening to the DepEd Learning Modules? Is there still someone or an official entity in control of the educational materials provided to millions of students in the Philippines?
First it was simple typos…
The first batch of detected errors in the DepEd Learning Modules mostly consisted of typographical errors. There were also printing errors such as in sequencing of pages. It was still acceptable given the time constraints involved due to the unexpected shift to online learning.
Everybody was caught off guard- the government, the school administrators, teachers, parents, and students. Errors along the way cannot be totally avoided. This kind of errors can easily be explained to learners.
…then frustrating inaccuracies…
The errors that were later revealed were more frustrating. Grammatical errors for Language subjects do not need grammar nazis to be noticed. Many were so glaring, it is literally painful to read. How exactly are the students supposed to learn based on erroneous materials? Mind you, the errors did not even spare our own language.
Factual errors like printing an image of an owl and labeling it an ostrich is quite alarming. There was a report of one seemingly impossible task to draw 800 stars in a box, except if there is a catch somewhere. There was also the discriminatory language used to describe Igorots in one module. What lessons can the students learn from all these?
Downright Vulgar
And now we hear of a learning module used in Pampanga that does not only spread misinformation but also puts to shame the sleazy tabloids in the language it used. It did not only define “aswang” wrongly but also describes it so lewdly the way only straight local language can do. This was not a printing error.
Clearly, it was an error of choosing who developed such learning materials. It was an error of choosing who approved its printing. It was an error of choosing who allowed it to reach the students. After this, I can never ever feel completely safe for kids when it comes to learning materials.
My Say
Gone were the days when learning materials were the safest to read for our students. This issue about DepEd Learning Module errors needs to be addressed fast and with conviction by the Department of Education. This is the education of our future leaders we are talking about here, and not just some “kanto” talk laughed about by those with twisted sense of humor.
