Malacañang said Monday the educational modules apparently discouraging students from joining protest rallies were intended only for elementary and high school students because joining rallies might constitute endangerment to the safety, welfare or morals of the students.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement in defending the Department of Education’s module that instructs students not to attend rallies.
“Remember, DepEd supervises elementary and high school students. Perhaps the DepEd is saying that elementary and high school students should not attend rallies yet,” Roque said.
He made his statement even as Senator Manuel Lapid wanted publishers to allow the scanning or conversion of textbooks to e-books and other digital formats.
He has filed a bill that seeks to amend Republic Act 8047, or the “Book Publishing Industry Development Act.”
The amendment would mandate the publishers participating in the government’s Public School Textbook Program to allow the scanning or conversion into e-books and other digital formats, in part or in full, of their approved textbooks.
Meanwhile, the group GABRIELA on Monday demanded the scrapping of sexist themes and gender stereotyping in the learning materials provided by the Department of Education, and a reorientation towards a progressive education valuing people regardless of their gender.
“Within only a week of classes in the ‘new normal,’ the Department of Education has revealed not just how disastrously unprepared they are for the resumption of classes—they come to us with backward and dangerous ideals as well,” said Joan Salvador, GABRIELA’s Deputy Secretary-General.
“Not only are their existing modules verifiably littered with numerous errors, they contain a breadth of sexist and misogynistic lessons too.”
Roque says protecting the child’s welfare is already in the Bill of Rights, adding “we’re just being careful about minors and children.”
The bill requires the State to defend the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and provide for special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development.
Earlier, the Commission on Human Rights raised concerns about a DepEd module on Media and Information Literacy that had a guide question: “If given the chance, will you join this rally? Why or why not?”
The correct answer, as indicated in the module, read: “No, because the government is really doing their best for all the Filipino people and their constituents.”
The CHR says love for one’s country is not limited to “mere obedience,” adding that teaching critical thinking on issues is as important as teaching respect for the law.