Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones stated her endorsement of the proposed laws disallowing homework for students on an interview with radio DZMM. The head of the Department of Education was on air this August 27 and spoke about how homework may take time away from the child to spend time with their family and friends.
(Two no-homework policies proposed at House of Representatives)
She first referenced that students may not even be doing the homework themselves, leaving it to be finished by tutors or caregivers: “Alam naman natin na kung minsan, ang homework, hindi ang bata ang gumagawa pagdating sa bahay.” [We all know that sometimes, it is not even the child doing the homework once they arrive at home.]
“Nawalan kung minsan ng panahon ang bata at parents, lola, mga friends na magba-bond,” she continues to talk about other priorities of these children. [Students sometimes lose time to bond with their parents, grandparents, and friends.]
Secretary Briones explains that ultimately, all necessary schoolwork should be doable within class hours only. “Ang gusto natin, lahat ng pormal na pag-aaral, assignment, project, whatever, gagawin sa loob ng eskuwelahan. Pag-uwi nila, libre na sila,” she said. “Pagdating ko, ginawa na namin itong policy… Pero meron pa ring mga schools na nasanay talaga sa pagbibigay ng homework.”
[We want all formal study, assignments, projects, whatever, to be done inside the school. When the students get home, they will have free time to be with their parents, friends. When I arrived at the DepEd, we made that a policy. But some schools are still used to giving homework.]
Two different policies proposing a no-homework law were recently filed in the House of Representatives. Sorsogon Deputy Speaker Evelina Escudero’s  House Bill No.
3611 aims to disallow homework entirely for students entirely. While Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas’ House Bill No. 3883 proposes the removal of homework during the weekends.
What do you think about this proposal?Â
