DepEd seeks parents' assistance to deter cheating in distance learning

On Monday, the Department of Education (DepEd) appealed to parents and guardians to be part of the solution to avoid the possibility of distance cheating.

Photo credit: sofi.com

During the virtual press conference of “Handang Isip, Handa Bukas”, education officials emphasized the importance of the role of parents and other adults in preventing “cheating” while the students attend remote classes.

Due to the current health crisis in the country, face-to-face classes were not allowed to prevent the learners to be infected with the virus. To ensure learning continuity, the agency implemented distance/blended learning through various alternative learning delivery modalities.

However, concerns with regards to cheating and parents doing the activities are raised as students will be learning inside their home.

Distance cheating has always been a challenge even before COVID,

Briones admitted.

She noted there is a significant number of schools that have worked out methodologies in calculating grades and in assessing children’s performance, among others.

Briones also said that teachers with experience, would be able to tell if a homework or a project is done by the parent or by the child.

They have methods that they have developed and in DepEd, we have also developed these methods that they can use for assessment,

she added.

Diosdado San Antonio, DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction said that assessment for students is being reviewed for this school year.

We’re dispensing the periodical exams in our proposed revised assessment of learning and we will do written outputs and performance tasks,

he explained.

The department is encouraging teachers to talk to the students occasionally. The conversation can focus on the learning activities that have been carried out with the child.

San Antonio said greater than reviewing policies, adults are the best way to prevent distance cheating. Parents and guardians are encourage to be part of the solution and to reinforce the value of honesty. Instilling values to children should not be a sole responsibility of DepEd. 

Do not be a part of producing dishonest output because this will be very detrimental to our efforts in shaping good Filipinos,

San Antonio added.

The department is trying to search and find ways to avoid distance cheating.

...The most important thing is for everyone to understand that more than having high grades, what the children learn is much more important, 

San Antonio added.