Online Filipinos demanded a better quality of modules after an obscene term was found in one of the learning modules of students in Pampanga.
Educator Antonio Calipjo-Go, a resource person in a hearing conducted by the House Committee on Public Accounts, revealed that a module used by Grade 10 students contained the word “maka*ant*t,” a vulgar term that refers to sexual intercourse.
The term was reportedly found in a definition given to the word “aswang,” a shape-shifting creature in Philippine mythology that feasts on human flesh and meat.
“Siya rin ay isang diyos pero ang Aswang ay pinaniniwalaan na ito’y tao na kumakain ng kapwa tao, kung minsan ang mga ito ay pinapaniwalaan na may mga pakpak at sila raw ay gising kung gabi para maghanap ng makakantot or maaswang,” it said.
Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio of the Department of Education decried the term’s inclusion in the module. He said that the learning material was already recalled in February.
“Ginawan na po ‘yan ng errata ng [DepEd] Division office na concerned… Region III. Naglabas po ang superintendent ng instruction na mali ‘yung nilalaman ng activity learning sheet na ito,” he was quoted as saying.
“Ako, hindi rin po ako masaya na may mga mali-mali. Pero dahil nangyayari pa rin ang mga maling ganito ay kailangan may proseso para maisaayos,” the official added.
He said that the DepEd has discovered 155 errors in its learning materials from October 2020 to June 2021, wherein 100 of them came from locally-developed materials.
San Antonio added that more than 20 of the errors came from unknown sources.
Following the incident, Filipinos urged the department to be vigilant in terms of proofreading and editing the modules since it plays a big part in the distance learning setup wherein those who do not have internet rely on the printed materials.
“A review and evaluation after printing of the module should be made to avoid this incident. Final review and evaluation of DepEd official should be mandatory, a must! There should be accountability,” a Facebook user wrote in response to the report.
“What a word!? Quality controlled dapat ‘yan! Hindi naman sa pagiging perfectionist pero they know that these modules are used by the youth of today! They should be very careful of the words or terms to be used,” another Filipino commented.
“Ano daw? Mas maganda eh next time i-proofread ng makailang beses ang mga module na ipamamahagi sa mga eskwelahan, unless kayang i-explain ng teacher o ng magulang kung ano ang pakahulugan sa salitang nailimbag nila,” a different Facebook user said.
It has been a year since the distance learning setup was established to enable students to continue with their education amid the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic.
The usual modes of learning make use of the internet, radio and television sets and printed materials which are called modules.
Last year, several instances of errors being detected in modules surfaced which included grammatical or numerical gaffes.
This has prompted some Filipinos to decry the “unpreparedness” of the department in terms of initiating a modular learning setup.
Meanwhile, a recent survey revealed that unstable internet connection remains the main problem of students, teachers and parents when it comes to distance learning.
