THE Department of Education (DepEd) must be kidding. It suggested extending online classes up to eight hours a day to compensate for the number of school days required by law.
DepEd officials should get their feet on the ground. Policies such as this will do more harm than good to our teachers, students and their parents. How many percent of enrolled students have internet connections capable of eight-hour straight online classes? How much would a teacher and a parent spend for this?
Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, DepEd should be sensitive with how most families are coping with the economic effects of this health crisis. Unemployment rate is at record high at 45.5 percent. Even teachers are having a hard time accessing quality and reliable internet connection. It is surely worse for students from less fortunate families that are hardest hit by this economic crisis.
DepEd should also be reminded that teachers can only be given a maximum of six hours teaching time, while the remaining two hours is to be spent on other teaching-related activities such as preparation of lesson plans, activities, checking of outputs, research, trainings, among others.
DepEd has been forced to postpone classes and compromise access to quality of education because of the neglect and incompetence of the Duterte administration in adequately handling and containing the COVID-19 virus. With their incompetence and negligence, they are forcing teachers, parents and students to suffer with policies that are physically, mentally, and financially draining such as the eight-hour online class.
At the very least, DepEd should consider the dangers of prolonged internet and gadget use on the social and psychological development of pupils. Studies have already shown that longer screen time has adverse effects on children’s overall development and greatly affects the molding of well-rounded individuals.
Before even suggesting policies such as eight-hour online classes, DepEd must first provide the basic needs of teachers and students for a safe and quality access to education amid the pandemic. The health, safety and welfare of teachers and non-teaching personnel must be taken care of, modules for every student must be provided, teachers should be given regular and monthly internet allowance, and DepEd must ensure funding for these basic programs for a safe reopening of schools.
Amid the pandemic, DepEd must ensure that providing education for the youth should not be an additional burden for teachers, the students and their parents. More than anything, education must be used as a tool to help families survive this pandemic and not exclude those who cannot afford or cope with DepEd’s policies.
