THE MANGAHAS INTERVIEWS

Briones: Philippines can’t continue depending on printed modules

As the Philippines rethinks its education system amid the coronavirus pandemic, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the country cannot continue depending on printed self-learning modules due to its vulnerability to typhoons.

Speaking on “The Mangahas Interviews,” Briones said modules are the “dominant” distance learning modality preferred by schools and students.

However, she said that the country will need to come up with alternatives to the printed materials.

“‘Yung experience natin with the weather and the series of natural disasters has shown us that we cannot continue depending very heavily on printed modules dahil mauubos nga ‘yung ating mga forests,” she said.

Last year, the Department of Education (DepEd) said it needed P1.2 billion to replace modules washed away by a series of typhoons in November.

In Marikina City alone, millions’ worth of learning materials were damaged by Typhoon Ulysses.

“Over a billion pesos ang na-destroy and if you replace all those materials, it will cost us again and we’ll have to cut more trees and then we will be inviting more floods, creating more deserts,” Briones said.

DepEd said last year that it would discourage students who have smartphones and other electronic devices from using printed modules.

“Ang aking pananaw diyan ay for about seven months, ang mga bata ay hindi pumapasok, ang teachers hindi nagtuturo, so ang transition nila medyo mahirap. To adjust to a new way of teaching was also challenging. So nasanay sila sa module, ‘yun ang prefer nila,” Briones said.

The Education Secretary also warned that DepEd would file raps against persons responsible for errors in modules.  — DVM, GMA News