DepEd, Modules, and Why I Homeschool

Issac Asimov, the literary giant of Sci-Fi, once quipped: "Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is." As I write, a plethora of parents are thoroughly disgusted with the Department of Education (DepEd) in the #Philippines. Unable to send their children to in-person classes, they are compelled to have them "learn from home,"and I readily use that term quite loosely. Many kids have disappeared out of the education system. Sad fact.

Perhaps DepEd tried their collective best when creating all of the modules for grades 1-12, but they failed miserably. The modules, save for a relative few, are wholly rife with numerous problems: improper grammar, misinformation and irrelevant topics, and plagiarism. These Masters' and PhD administrators are literally leading our children astray. As a country, we are far behind in education. Sure, we have some students who go on to bright careers in spite of their public education, but this is the exception rather than the rule.

Grammar

Anyone with any semblance of competent literacy training can easily observe the undeniable fact that modules are grammatically poor. Apparently, nobody writing the modules was ever properly educated on indefinite and definite articles, proper usage of English grammar, pronunciation, punctuation, spelling, et al. Even the Tagalog lessons are poorly written, and that is unfortunate.

Misinformation and Poor Topics

Many modules provide students with misinformation. They present notions of fantasy, such as gender inclusiveness, post-modern liberalism (socialism and communism), ignore gender dysphoria (a clinical mental assessment in the DSM-IV psychiatric manual), and are willingly or unknowingly leading children down a path of illiteracy and destruction in the name of "education." Even some of the teachers provide their students with an answer key! Ridiculous. While they may assume they are helping kids, they are actually doing them harm.

Regarding poor topics, and while I have a profound respect for the arts, teaching kids about camping, fishing, repetitive hairstyling modules, and dancing are not going to turn a child into a scholar. Instead, they are being programmed to move on to menial, low-paying jobs with little incentives when they reach adulthood. It's a national disgrace.

Plagiarism

One of the more shocking things one may observe is the vast amount of plagiarized material that is presented as belong to DepEd, when in fact it has been lifted from other sources without properly crediting the author(s). This is shameful. Once students catch on to the fact that DepEd has plagiarized educational material, it encourages students to do likewise.

Additionally, as a former tutor, I took the opportunity to discover where the presented module material was gleaned from and was not surprised with the finding, but perhaps you will be. Are you aware of the fact that 12th grade modules are actually taken from the 7th and 8th grade US curriculum? That's a fact. DepEd is thus responsible for dumbing down our kids.

Why I homeschool

Because of the above-mentioned topics, I decided when the schools went on lockdown that I would educate my son. Unlike both public and private schools, which are essentially indoctrination camps, I actually teach my child. I present different topics from both (or more) perspectives and endorse critical thinking.

Conversely, our schools present the material, do not encourage critical thinking, and expect our kids to regurgitate the "right" answers back in order to pass to the next level. Again, this is indoctrination, not education, and folks, there is a huge difference.

Last Sunday I was at a nearby resort where I like to hang out at on the beach. One of the waitresses was working on her child's 6th grade math modules and was obviously frustrated. It was a 12-page module and she had perhaps a dozen answers written down, most of them incorrect. Over a draft beer, I quickly imputed 40 correct answers in about 15 minutes. It was basic math with some algebraic problems. During her break, I quickly showed her how to work the problems so she could teach her daughter. Modules lack the personal touch required to educate a child.

I don't write on Sunday's, as that is my delegated day of rest, but I was determined to write on the sad state of education in a country I love with all of my heart. The pandemic has not only wrought havoc on our economy and health, but on our education system as well. Education is in free fall mode and there is no sure sign that things will turn around in the observable near future.

Note to Parents

If you are a parent of a child or children learning from modules, you are being robbed, and your child is as well. May I encourage you to avail of cheap books at the malls in your area or the used book stores at SM. Take the time to sit down and educate your kid(s). The education system does not care. It is up to you to ensure your child is properly educated and ready to meet the real world head on when he or she comes of age. I encourage you to take action.