DepEd validates 24 errors in printed modules, cites improvements

Teachers distribute modules that will be used in distance learning at Francisco Elementary School in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. The Department of Education shifted to distance learning for the upcoming start of classes on Monday (October 5) to comply with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for schools to delay face-to-face classes until COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. Inq photo/ Jam Sta Rosa (file)

MANILA, Philippines — Just a week after another blunder found its way into a self-learning module used in distance learning, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday said it was working on minimizing errors in the widely distributed learning materials in preparation for the next school year.

Diosdado San Antonio, education undersecretary for curriculum and instruction, explained that the agency had observed “improvements” in the content of the printed modules after his office validated only 24 errors in the first five months of 2021.

According to San Antonio, the DepEd acknowledged 134 typographical, solution and factual errors in the learning materials in the first three months of the school year 2020-2021.

“This means that the protocols we have introduced— refinements like engaging the academe and organizing collaborative teams that review learning resources—have been able to reduce errors. But I will never be happy until we have achieved zero errors,” San Antonio said at a virtual press conference.

Last week, the DepEd again came under scrutiny after an educator pointed out that one of its printed modules used obscene language to describe a creature in Philippine mythology.

At a hearing of the House public accounts panel, Antonio Calipjo-Go showed a module of Grade 10 students in Mabalacat City, Pampanga province, that described an “aswang” as a creature in Filipino folklore that was awake in the night using a vulgar word that refers to sexual intercourse.