Teachers group urges DepEd to use books and halt printing of learning modules

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), a 30,000-strong group, urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to give a thought on the use of textbooks rather than compelling schools and teachers to reproduce costly modules for each student.

Photo credit: hronlineph.com

The group asked the department to stop the printing of self-learning modules (SLMs), apart from it being a demanding task for teachers and school heads, it also uses up all the available resources of the schools that can be used for other needs and purposes.

We adjure the DepEd to use printed books instead of modules and supply the necessary activity sheets or lesson guides – physical or digital, 

said TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas.

TDC is proposing to DepEd to stop further production of modules for the second quarter and the rest of the school year because of the expenses incurred.

Many teachers claimed that they produced their own materials and actually spent for those, thus, accounting for the initial fund allocation is needed,

he added.

Basas noted that it appears there is a “no standard method” in creating them.

We are supposed to have specialists and experts in the Central and Regional offices who should design them but divisions are being compelled to draw Plan Bs as it becomes more and more clear that the Central Office will not be able to deliver on time,

he said.

Basas also said that what are actually happening on the ground are schools producing their own modules and raising funds to be able to meet the requirements of DepEd. Teachers are also resorting to online solicitation and even barter.

This is outright begging [but] still, many are forced to personally finance these modules, materials that are supposedly state-funded, 

he added.

DepEp confidently claimed that about P9 billion were already downloaded to schools for the reproduction of modules. However, Basas said that this is nothing “but a myth” because the shortage in the printed modules forces some schools to resort to module sharing where two groups of students will share the SLMs. According to TDC's online survey, while many schools have ready materials on the class opening, they will only last for the “first two weeks up to the first month of the coming school year.”