Parents of students are particularly feeling alarmed for the news report that says a certain science textbook released by the Department of Education (DepEd) in the Phiippines contains 775 errors.
According to Inquirer, the book was “‘collaboratively developed’ by 14 writers, 2 consultants, 3 illustrators, 1 layout artist, 1 anchorperson and 2 ‘managers’ from the Bureau of Elementary Education.”
The 2015 edition of the book entitled Science Learners Material was made for Grade 4 students. It was printed by Lexicon Press Inc. and it costed the government Php 82 million.
Photo credit: Inquirer
Columnist Antonio Calipjo Go pointed out that “this 318-page textbook contains 775 errors ranging from conceptual, pedagogical, logical and grammatical errors to errors having to do with simple drawings and illustrations.”
“That a mere grade-school-level textbook could have so many errors — an average of 2.4 errors per page — speaks volumes about the real state of the Philippine public school system,” he added. Calipjo Go also works as an academic supervisor for Marian School in Quezon City.
Here are some of the errors from the said book:
1. “Ball-and-sockets joints protect the eyes.”
2. “The bat has to get rid of the large tree by echolocation or else it will bump and hurt its head.”
3. “Adulthood is a significant time that adults can give birth”
4. “To dissect or crack an egg or split the seeds open, use a nailcutter.”
5. “What will happen to an object if you will bent or crumpled it?”
Private schools have the option to choose other books for their students but unfortunately, public schools do not have the same liberty since these books are produced mainly for them, especially to assist them in implementing the K to 12 program.
“Unless and until the textbooks that our children are using are made to conform with accepted norms and standards of accuracy and correctness, the K to 12 program is bound to founder,” Calipjo Go declared.