THE Marcos-Duterte administration to revisit the Basic Education curriculum?
To Short Cuts, it is not only timely. This is more of an answer to the call of change if only to address some pressing problems besetting even every Filipino household.
Many may not have recognized this. But if one has a keen eye In observing the actual and daily trends in a family as a basis – specially those living in the remote barangays – he can be sure of detecting the difference between an elementary graduate in the 1950’s and that of the present graduates.
After World War II until the early days of the 70’s parents were not witness of grade school pupils bringing to their respective homes harvested pechay and other pupil – grown vegetables in school.
Grade school pupils were then mandated under the DepEd curriculum to do their gardening. Every pupil must have his own garden to cultivate and raise vegetables.
Therefore, at his tender age, he was already trained to be a responsible young farmer.
And, this training was not limited to elementary grade pupils. In the case of Short Cuts, he was trained as a gardener until his second year attainment in the secondary course.
Basic Carpentry was also introduced when Short Cuts was in Sixth Grade until he graduated his four-year Secondary Course. As a consequence, he already knew the ABC’s of carpentry. From measuring the lengths and sizes of lumber by the use of rulers and tape measures to the actual use of a hammer, smooth plane, cross cut and rip saws, try square, and so forth.
In fact when he was already attending his last year in the secondary course, he, together with four of his classmates were made to help carpentry work when the Home Economics building of the then Valencia High School was undergoing construction.
These were Short Cuts’ experiences in his secondary school days that gave him lots of lessons. These were eventually used when the construction of buildings for his tertiary schools began.
Never did Short Cuts ever regret for experiencing the mandates then exercised by the Department of Education during his Basic Education days!
And, now what is the philosophy behind this BALIK ESKWELA BRIGADE program introduced by the department some years back?
Is this program benefiting the grade school pupils and even the secondary students?
To Short Cuts’ mind, instead of giving benefits to the pupils, the future of these children are totally destroyed.
Why?
They are made to malinger around the streets, and together with some other classmates, make themselves busy with their cellphones, instead. And yet, their parents are the ones cleaning the premises of the school and the classrooms.
The basic lessons of cleanliness ought to be learned by the grade school pupils are NOW relegated to the parents!
And, here comes a bitter scenario.
A first year female college student does not know basics of table setting!
She placed the spoon front left of the guest.
And the fork?
At the opposite side!
With these scenarios, who are still in favor of retaining the present curriculum of the Department of Education?
Now is the right time for this new administration to introduce changes.
