(MANILA BULLETIN)

The Department of Education (DepEd) will soon introduce diagnostic tests to gauge students’ level of reading for the implementation of "Catch-up Fridays".

“We really envisioned it to be structured but just to ease everyone in, we decided that in the month of January, it will just be ‘Drop Everything and Read’ for learners. Whereas, for the teachers it will be an orientation,” Undersecretary Michael Wesley Poa said during a briefing at the House of Representatives on Monday, Jan. 15.

“Now from what we see in the month of January, of course we want feedbacks and these will be considered going forward but it’s really something very important to us, that we be consistent with Catch-up Fridays ‘cause we believe that this is really the way we can aggressively address ang issue natin (our issue) on reading,” Poa added.

Introduced across elementary and secondary schools and community learning centers (CLCs) on Jan. 12, the DepEd describes Catch-up Fridays as a learning mechanism intended to strengthen the relevant skills necessary to actualize the intent of the basic education curriculum.

In DepEd’s memorandum order, the time allotted each Friday “shall be used to enhance learners’ knowledge and skills in and appreciation of reading, values, health, and peace education”.

Despite the program’s good intentions, several teachers have criticized DepEd over alleged lack of preparation in its conduct.

ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said she received comments from teachers, who bared that they weren’t involved in any orientation.

“Sabi ni Usec. Poa may orientation, hindi ganon yung naganap, talagang literally pinagbasa lang yung mga bata ng kung anu-ano lang,” Castro noted.

(Usec. Poa said there was orientation, that's not what happened, the children were literally just reading about whatever.)

“So dapat mayron tayong diagnostic test kasi iba-iba yung skills ng mga bata sa reading,” she stressed. “Para alam din ng teacher yung mga level, hindi yung magbasa lang tayo every Friday.”

(So we should have a diagnostic test because children's reading skills are different.) 

(So that the teacher also knows their level, not that we just read every Friday.)

The House Committee on Education chaired by Pasig lone district Rep. Roman Romulo conducted the briefing.