After the Department of Education (DepEd) TV drew flak for grammatical and typographical errors on some of its episodes, Senator Win Gatchalian is eyeing a Senate inquiry on the content of lessons to be used for distance learning.
DepEd started the test broadcast of television episodes on state-run Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13) and Solar Learning. Photos from a Grade 8 lesson, however, went viral as netizens slammed what some described as “painful” errors in the lesson.
“Quality control should not be compromised amid the rush to make learning resources available.”
While DepEd already acknowledged the errors and vowed to make improvements on its TV broadcast content, Gatchalian emphasized that quality control should not be compromised amid the rush to make learning resources available when classes open.
“We’ll probably have another hearing on the content aspect of distance learning because quality control is very important,” said the chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture.
“Sa pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon ngayong panahon ng krisis, hindi lang ang pag-abot sa ating mga mag-aaral ang dapat nating pinag-uusapan. Mahalagang tutukan natin kung paano masisigurong dekalidad ang edukasyon na natatanggap nila kahit na sila ay nasa mga tahanan nila,” the veteran legislator added.
“The reach of television makes it a viable tool for distance learning.”
The seasoned lawmaker reiterated that the reach of television makes it a viable tool for distance learning, especially for those who have no available internet connectivity.
According to Dataxis, a global firm specializing in telecom and media business, 18.7 million Filipino households have television in 2019, a number that is expected to increase to 20.7 million by 2024.
The senator added that since not all parents can teach their children at home because some of them have not completed schooling, teachers can guide learners through recorded lessons for television. Parents, on the other hand, can ensure that their children are focused on studying.
Some local government units (LGUs) have already partnered with local television stations to broadcast recorded lessons. The local cable service provider in Luna, Isabela for example, provided two channels for the province’s ‘TV-Eskwela’. One channel will be used for elementary while the other will be for high school learners.
Isabela City in Basilan has also forged a partnership with a local cable service provider to put up ‘TELEdukasyon’. Under the partnership, the P1,500 cable installation fee is waived and parents will just have to pay for the P350 subscription fee monthly, which gives them access to three channels dedicated to distance learning.