18 pages, 187 errors: Grossly unscientific science modules

It’s good that director Jocelyn Andaya of the Bureau of Curriculum Development of the Department of Education has admitted that “the use of Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) remains the preferred choice in the learning delivery modality of our learners and their parents as these are interactive, self-contained, self-instructional and compact.” (Letters, 11/11/20 )

Two modules in Science Grade 5 used in public elementary schools in Quezon City were among the first batch of SLMs submitted to me for review by some parents of the students.

These modules were published and printed by the DepEd-Schools Division Office of Quezon City with the participation of the local government of Quezon City headed by city mayor Ma. Josefina Belmonte Alimurung.

These grossly unscientific Science modules were made possible, at tremendous cost to the government, by a development team composed of one writer, two editors, five reviewers, one illustrator, three layout artists, and a management team with five members, for a total of 17 persons collaborating to produce two flimsy modules with only 18 pages. These will be used only in the first quarter of this school year.

The merely 18 pages contain 187 errors, for an average of 10.4 errors per page. I myself could not believe it possible at first, but the modules speak for themselves, in mangled and murdered English at that.

The titles of both modules are wrong: Materials and Its Properties and Matter and Its Properties. Asking Grade 5 students to wipe a drop of water off the table using ballpens and cracked, cooked eggshells to test for absorbency teaches them to be stupid.

Here are other errors:

Study the PRODUCTS in each of the hexagon below. Cross out the PRODUCT that doesn’t belong. (Options inside the third hexagon are paper bag, gift wrapper, BALIKBAYAN).

With your bare hands, squeeze the cooked eggshell. Also squeeze your ballpen and anything beside you. Observed what happens.

Natural fiber comes from animals e.g. wool from sheep and plants.

Elasticity: ability of matter to be stretch and be back into its original form.

Example of malleable objects: fork and spoons.

Example of ductile objects: necklaces.

Into how many shapes you can change the rubber band? Take a picture with the shape that you can formed out of it.

Materials can cause irritation to any parts of the body it contacts with.

Rubbers are used in making stretchable pants and shorts. Garter are used in making short pants.

In which material was the water dried faster?

Glass not handled with care will shutter everywhere.

Materials needed for this activity: BON PAPER, AN INTERNET CONNECTION.

Chemical products used by farmers are mixed with water and soil to eliminate weeds.

What could be the perfect material for display cabinet on the mall?

House and bridges are the product of wood.

Glass are brittle and might cause us accident. They have luster and shines brightly.

Knowing the properties of materials will let us maximized it’s used and be guided upon in choosing a product.

These so-called “self-learning” modules, far from being “self-instructing,” take the 25 million poor Filipino students who this year enrolled in public schools nationwide to a really bad place where they, unknowingly and unwittingly, self-idiotize and self-destruct.

ANTONIO CALIPJO GO