BY GLENDA TAYONA, IME SORNITO & RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO – Classrooms must be clean, orderly and functional, according to Vice President and concurrent Department of Education (DepEd) secretary Sara Duterte. She thus ordered public schools to strip classroom walls bare.
No unnecessary decorations, even traditional educational posters and learning aids. These distract learners who must focus on the lesson at hand, according to Duterte, a lawyer.
Ilonggo teachers, school personnel, students, and netizens weigh in.
Leonil Salvilla, information officer of the Schools Division of Iloilo and district supervisor of San Miguel, said schools must be compliant.
“Ang schools naton have already started implementing kon ano man ang instruction didto sa gin-release nga implementing guidelines on the conduct of Brigada Eskwela. Kay ti we have to make sure man nga tanan naton nga ginahimu sa mga schools are aligned with the administration, especially sa aton DepEd secretary,” Salvilla said in an interview with Panay News yesterday morning.
None stays, all must go
“Dapat tinlu gid ang walls. So remove gid tanan,” Salvilla clarified, adding that this includes the removal of bulletin boards.
“Schools shall ensure that school grounds, classrooms and all their walls and other school facilities are clean and free from unnecessary artwork, decorations, tarpaulins and posters at all times. Oversized signage with commercial advertisements, words of sponsorships and/or endorsements, or announcements of any kind or nature shall be taken down,” read part of DepEd Order No. 21.
It added: “Classroom walls shall remain bare and devoid of posters, decorations or other posted materials. Classrooms should not be used to stockpile materials and should be clear of other unused items or items for disposal.”
During a Brigada Eskwela initiative in Bansalan, Davao del Sur on Aug. 17, Duterte was seen removing decorations in one classroom, including a printed version of her official portrait.
In Iloilo, Salvilla said, teachers believe decorations somehow distract learners, but there are also materials relevant to their teaching.
“Somehow, according to them, may mga items nga makabulig sa aton pagtudlo sa aton subject, and there are also items gid man nga kon tan-awon mo unnecessary or wala gid man sia naga-supplement sa discussion,” said Salvilla.
Jalandoni Memorial Elementary School’s Principal IV, Alexis Rivas, agreed with this.
“Kanami sang programa nga tagaan way ang mga kabataan sa sulod classroom mag-focus. Kung mabuhinan ang mga bagay-bagay dira kanami kay masanaaw, indi sila ma-distract,” said Rivas.
“So testing-an naton kung maka-focus gid man sila,” Rivas added.
Teacher Jesse Comprendio from Calinog even began removing the decorations in his classroom last week.
“Wala na galastuhan ang mga teachers sang mga required nga ipamutang sa sulod kwarto,” Comprendio said.
Similarly, Weddanie Botavara, a Grade 3 teacher at Arevalo Elementary School, said she is not fond of decorating her classroom but bulletin boards are required during evaluations.
“Daw okay man ang iya order. Actually ako indi man gid ako sina mahilig pero may mga important reminders na da kag every time may evaluation bala may ara gid na,” said Botavara.
Teacher Araceli Esperidion Aldamar from Alimodian said removing unnecessary wall postings clears space for students.
“Mas magutok ang classroom kung may mga decorations kag indi maayo makahulag ang kabataan,” said Aldamar. “Ang decorations sa sulod classroom nagakayab-okan man lang.”
Teachers should instead focus on improving their teaching aids and devices.
“Minsan kasi overdecorated na, ‘di naman nag-impact sa learning ng mga bata,” said Geoffrey Leysa through “PN Asks” on Panay News’ Facebook Page.
Netizen Roinuj Roi stressed that the names of sponsors or advertisements should be removed instead.
“Ang dapat nga dulaon amo ang pangalan sang mga nagdonar nga politiko sang steel gate, nagdonar pinta para sa dingding sang classroom, nagpatahum sang PTA building,” said Roi.
Jade Mantilla, a high school student, said it is also up to the students themselves.
“Kon gusto mo ya mag-alam kag makatapos sang eskwela, biskan may decorations pa na ukon wala matuon ka gid na ya kay man may handum kaw nga makatapos,” said Mantilla.
Meanwhile, “Teacher Sha” is for learning materials on the classroom walls but not so with decorations. She is a kindergarten teacher from the province’s 1st District.
“They get to familiarize things that they will learn in class when they often see or read them, like the alphabet, numbers and colors,” she said.
A mother named Ma Sol from Tigbauan town stressed that teachers took time and even spent their money on the visual aids.
“Kanugon ka pulaw ka mga maestra obra visual aids… After pandemic tani makabulig-bulig pa na sa mga bata kay boring man kon puro lang lecture. Iban nga bata need nila may visual aids,” she explained.
Nelly Dordas, a Grade 6 teacher at Arevalo Elementary School, noted that visual aids are still needed for lower grades.
“Sa Grade 6 okay na sila ya nga wala decorations. Pero sa mga lower grades makabulig pa ina tani sa ila comprehension kag sa ila ihibalo ang makita nila,” Dordas expressed.
But amid this, Dordas is also in favor of the DepEd order, saying it would mean fewer expenses for them.
Under DepEd Order No. 21, Series of 2023, here are the things to be removed inside the classroom:
* unnecessary artwork, decorations, tarpaulins, and posters
* organized signages with commercial advertisements, words of sponsorships, and/or endorsements or announcements of any kind or nature
* unused modules/LAS, notebooks and books
* students’ projects/outputs from previous years
* hanging decorations
* quotation posters, alphabet posters, disaster risk reduction and management posters (could be posted outside the classroom or office)
* plastic flowers/plants (could be placed outside the classroom)
* garbage bin
* hand washing facilities
* unnecessary chairs, tables, appliances, mirrors, pictures/frames of presidents, etc.
Suggested things to be displayed inside the classroom:
* bulletin board (announcements, list of officers, sweepers, etc.)
* unit board (competency for the quarter, MPS)
* DepEd mission and vision, Lupang Hinirang, Panatang Makabayan
* cabinet (one to two only), teacher’s table with chair and demo table
* water dispenser and TV (optional)
* curtains – windows and chalkboard (for windows, use valance)
* image of Jesus Christ/cross
* broom stand
* door label (attached to doors) with teacher’s program and class program
* attendance chart/supervisory (With a report from www.philstar.com)/PN
