‘No homework’ policy is no good

WE do not agree with the position of the Department of Education (DepEd) that a “no homework” policy, prohibiting teachers from assigning academic work to be completed by students outside of regular school hours, is beneficial to Filipino students.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones recently engaged in a public pitch for the policy, which is now the subject of a couple of pending bills in Congress. We have a great deal of respect for Secretary Briones’ knowledge and experience as an educator, and her arguments in favor of the policy should be given careful consideration. Doing just that, however, leads to the conclusion that a solution other than what she and supportive legislators are proposing is in order.