Briones assures Robredo that errors in modules have been ‘resolved’ already


Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Monday, June 21, welcomed the comments of Vice President Leni Robredo on the errors found in learning modules and assured her that these reported incidents have been “resolved” already.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones during a virtual press conference on June 21, 2021

In a virtual press conference for the celebration of the 123rd Founding Anniversary of the department, Briones maintained that a mechanism for reporting of errors is in place and that action has been undertaken to those that have been reported to the agency.

“We thank Vice President Robredo for her comments but we assure her that this happened several months ago, this has been already attended, and action has already been undertaken,” Briones said.

Robredo, in her radio show on June 20, pointed out that errors in the learning materials produced by DepEd could have been avoided if only a “proper system“ had been put in place.

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2021/06/21/robredo-errors-in-learning-modules-show-deped-lacks-proper-system/

During a Committee Hearing last week, a vulgar word was found in a SLM issued by a division of the DepEd to its students under the distance learning program.

READ: https://mb.com.ph/2021/06/14/deped-trends-after-a-terrifying-error-was-found-in-a-learning-module/

Briones explained that this incident happened in February this year and was immediately resolved. “Now, in light of all the noise on an event which happened several months ago and that has already been resolved, I reopened the case again,” she said.

“I am reviewing it now just to make sure that we did the right thing and that there are, perhaps, other considerations to look at,” Briones said.

DepEd, Briones added, is also considering if it is “high time” to give appropriate sanctions to those who were responsible for errors in the modules.

“We’re looking at this carefully because there might be a pattern,” Briones said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Briones said based on the explanation of some teachers who were found responsible for some erroneous modules is that they picked the material up from social media - particularly on Facebook.

(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN)

“We are checking if these claims are credible and we’re also tracking if there is a pattern that might affect the reputation of DepEd,” she added.

Briones mentioned that the “DepEd Error Watch” is in place as a mechanism to address errors found in modules.

“As soon as we receive reports on errors in modules, we verify with the concerned regional office, we withdraw and take action but this might be a deeper issue than the usual thing, it is deeper, perhaps, that we think they are,” she added.