An investigation will be conducted into module depicting farmer's family in tattered clothes - Senator Cayetano

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday said it does not condone discrimination after a learning module which illustrated a farmer's family in tattered clothes drew criticism from netizens.

Sen. Pia Cayetano said there will be an investigation into the issue at hand.

During the Senate plenary debates on the proposed P562 billion DepEd budget for 2021, Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said farmers should not be stereotyped.

The module in question, which netizens reacted to, refers to the discussion appeared on the lesson on the English subject that taught proper and common nouns.

An illustration that showed a farmer's family wearing shabby clothes while the children were depicted barely wearing anything.

"Ito 'yung DepEd module featuring the farmer. Ang sa akin dito, sino nag-aapruba nito at ito ba ay napag-aaralan nang husto?" the lawmaker, who also advocates farming, said while showing the illustration.

"Karamihan ng ating mga magsasaka ay mahirap pero kung ganito ang presentasyon o pagsasalarawan ng magsasaka, mahirap ho sila pero parang dito ang stereotyping eh, parang kasuklam-suklam," he added.

Pangilinan further said, "This is a long-standing bias against farming and agriculture. We don't want to teach our children to look down upon farming and farmers."

Senator Pia Cayetano, sponsor of the DepEd's budget, agreed that it was a "wrongful and harmful" depiction of farmers.

Reading the response of Education Secretary Leonor Briones on the issue, Cayetano said: "DepEd has zero tolerance for stereotyping and other forms of discrimination. Rest assured that we will look into this matter and if it really came from Deped."

A full investigation will be conducted and sanctions wil be imposed, she added. -- BAP, GMA News