Why doesn’t Go help out instead of showing off?

While I appreciate the efforts of Antonio Calipjo Go to review textbooks used in public schools for spelling and grammar errors, as well as for content lapses (illogical or flawed conclusions), I cannot help but wonder why he has always turned down the invitation, albeit oral, of the Department of Education for him to join the groups tasked to review the contents of a book at its preparation stage. With his extraordinary acumen even as a college dropout, he can certainly help the DepEd a lot not only in providing students error-free textbooks but also in lessening the cost of printing study materials as there would be no need for reprinting them (if errors had been corrected before initial printing of the books).

His rejection of the offer—a sincere offer from DepEd officials—does it not smack of intellectual selfishness, pride and insult? Why not share his knowledge with the group of instructional writers and editors? Why go to the print media to publicize errors he found in textbooks? To show off his mastery of the English language, the range and depth of his knowledge, and in the process insult the DepEd and authors and editors of public school textbooks? By his self-proclaimed ingenuity in discovering errors and going to media to “expose” them, he makes the DepEd look stupid.

As an academic director of a Catholic school, the more he should exemplify the God-given grace of humility and share the light of his knowledge with sincerity and generosity—for the development of an enlightened generation of school children.

—DOMINGO VARGAS, [email protected]