No HomeWork Policy: Yay or Nay?

If you are a #Batang90s like me or studied a little earlier its not a new thing for us when our teacher will tell us this: "Okay class, copy your assignments on the blackboard and write down your answers on your notebook or use a bond paper." Since our preschool years, we colored booklets, drew shapes of circles, square rectangle, etc in our homes. So I can still recall those years when Momma will help me read and write down my name after school hours. 

When I was in High school, there are instances, when we have seat work and the bell rang so teacher will ask the students to resume the work activity in our home. 

On August 26, while the Philippines is celebrating "National Heroes Day", two bills at the House of representatives were filed proposing a "No Homework Policy". On House Bill No. 3611 Deputy Speaker Evelina Escudero seeks to eliminate homework and limit school activities. In addition to her bill, she also wished that students leave or deposit their school textbooks to prevent them in carrying heavy books. Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas also filed House Bill 3883 but the content of this bill only limits the teachers of giving students assignments on weekends. In his bill, if any teachers violate they will be charged of P 50,000 fine or imprisonment for one to two years. 
    

Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones supports the No Homework policy. According to Secretary Briones, Deped wants a formal education to be done inside the school and it aims that students will have more time to enjoy bonding moments with 
families and friends.

Is it a Yay or a Nay?

I have read articles and many disagreed with the proposed house bills. Many expressed their concern regarding the issue. The Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) said that it could create wrong values to the students and may affect the system education as a whole. According to TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas,  “Homework is not intended to make life difficult for our students,” Basas believed that giving assignment creates discipline and good values instead. 

There are Tweets and Facebook posts posted by teachers, professors, parents and even students with divided opinion with the "No Homework Policy". 

twitter reaction posts

On my personal experience and observation, kids nowadays, have a more easiest access when it comes to research. We are on a digital era, where you can ask anything under the sun through google. History, math problems, Socio-political news, arts, music, name-it-all. Its rare to find students searching on textbooks, libraries and newspapers for academic purposes. When I was young, though computer takes place already that time. It will be so hard to rent for a computer just to do research. If I'm not mistaken, it was P50 per hour. Imagine? early 2000s, that money has a big value back then. 

I thank God I survived studying despite financial ordeals and I know everyone older than me had to survived studying too with a greater obstacle to battle with. I think that assignments and homework will not do any harm to the students. Look at our society now, I am truly shocked that elementary students enjoy mobile phones and take note its high-end! In our time, its either you are a working student or your parents have a white collar jobs to own that nokia 3210. 

My point is these kids spend so much time on mobile phones, gadgets and browsing the internet. Why not make their time spend in a more worthy and efficient way? Look at the positive effects of giving assignments, a student will have an advanced review with the lesson, he/she will be dedicating time on doing academic activities. At the end of the day, who will benefit from these? Its the students of course. 

Our passionate teachers do the best they can to mold their students and to be a good example to them. Most of them treat them as their own child so that they may breed productive youth. Its just a matter of how you look things at your own perspective. If you see homework as a burden you might not looking at the bigger picture and you just missed the purpose of it. 

To the younger generation, there's more to life than the four corners of the room. There are so many good things to look forward to than outcry your sentiments on homework. It's also a matter of balance and time management. While working on with your assignments you can still find time to spend it to your loved ones and families. 

Lastly, to our lawmakers, You too was once a student, I think and I hope that you were there at the congress because you build a good foundation of your studies, I also think that once upon a time you enjoyed working with your homework too.