DepEd to issue guidelines regulating weekday homework of students

Ahead of the passage of a law, the Department of Education (DepEd) will issue a directive regulating the giving of homework to students during weekdays, Secretary Leonor Briones told GMA News Online.

Briones said the directive will contain guidelines including the number of homework that will be assigned, the subjects to be included and the students who will be covered by the policy.

The directive will also reiterate DepEd Memorandum No. 392 (series of 2010)  that prohibits homework or assignments during weekends “for pupils to enjoy their childhood and spend quality time with their parents without being burdened by the thought of doing lots of homework.”

Briones said the directive is being finalized for her signature.

“Right now, we are discouraging homework during weekends, but we need to issue a new directive, pending the approval of the bills, that will regulate or limit the homework given on weekdays,” she said.

“In principle, I am supportive of the pending bills in Congress because the final test of the pudding is not really on the homework, we cannot prove the effectiveness of our educational system through homework,” the Education chief added.

There are no guarantees that the kids themselves do the homework, Briones said.

“We know that in a number of cases it is the mother or father, lolo or lola, the tutors or even the yayas who accomplish these homework, so yung output na sina-submit sa school ay hindi output ng bata,” she said.

What should be encouraged within the classrooms is more time for discussions to hone the analytical thinking and assessment of students.

“Data changes, so we can’t always ask them to memorize information and figures.  What we should do is teach them discernment and analytical thinking,” Briones said.

Several bills seeking to implement a “no-homework” policy among kindergarten to Grade 12 students are up for deliberation at the Senate and the House of Representatives.

In House Bill 3611, Deputy Speaker and Sorsogon Representative Evelina Escudero also seeks to compel schools and teachers to implement a "more holistic and effective pedagogy" by conducting all lessons and activities in school.

Apart from a no-homework policy, House Bill 3611 also proposes that all kindergarden and Grade 6 students will deposit and leave their textbooks in school. No textbook will be brought home to "prevent the adverse effects" of carrying heavy bags to-and-from schools. —KBK, GMA News