DepEd looking into module that discourages peaceful assembly

The Department of Education (DepEd) is seeking an explanation from its regional office which released a distance learning module discouraging students from joining peaceful assemblies.

According to Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio, the DepEd is now looking deeper into the module on Media and Information Literacy discouraging students from participating in assemblies, specifically rallies.

"Hihingi kami ng paliwanag. At alam mo, mga honest mistakes kung minsan, but hindi naman puwedeng maging very harsh kung may basis kami to do that. Kung wala, makikinig kami kung bakit nangyari iyong mga ganoong instances," he said in a report on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend" on Sunday.

This comes after a supposed page of a module circulated online, with one of the questions asking students: "If given the chance, will you join this rally? Why or why not?"

Based on the answer key, the "correct" answer was: "No, because the government has [sic] really doing their best for all the Filipino people and their constituents."

According to San Antonio, the module in question did not go through the approval process of the central office.

"Tine-trace namin ngayon kasi parang na-share din 'yan sa ibang mga nag-develop at ng ibang regions. Ang hindi makuha pa 'yung eksaktong detalye kung ilang regions ang gumamit ng material na 'yon," he said.

"Sure na kami na hindi siya certified as 'Ready to Print' ng central office... Binalik iyan sa region na gumawa at may mga pinapa-modify," he added.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) had flagged the module, noting that the Constitution provides for the right to freedom of speech, among others.

"While respect for the law is a good value to teach, it is equally important to develop among our children critical thinking, especially when it comes to issues that affect us, not only personally, but as well as those national in scope," said CHR spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia.

"Love for one’s country is not limited to mere obedience, but can also be manifested through collectively tackling issues of our communities and the country under the guidance of rights entitled to us and protected by the Constitution, including the people’s right to freedom of speech, of expression, the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and petition the government for redress of grievances," she added.

This is not the first time modules released by the DepEd drew flak, after several questionable items were pointed out by netizens and posted online.

Among these were an exercise that instructed students to match crayons with their respective colors despite being printed in black and white, and an exercise to find the letter "L" in the word "rabbit."

Several other issues in the distance-learning modules have circulated online, and the DepEd has since apologized for errors that slipped past their assurance protocols.

Concerns over the freedom of speech have also been raised after President Rodrigo Duterte passed the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 into law, which has drawn criticism as some of its provisions may be abused to stifle dissent. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News