Neil
The Department of Education’s (DepEd) online survey results on the opening of classes for the school year 2020-2021 lacks reliability because not everyone was able to access and answer the online survey.
DepEd started conducting the survey last April 2020 that aims to “better inform its policies and decisions” regarding the reopening of classes for S.Y 2020-21.
On May 22, during the Senate’s virtual hearing on the government’s response on food, energy, and education, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones told the senators that the results of their online survey show that most of the teachers and students have access to the internet.
During the virtual hearing, Senator Manny Pacquaio raised a question on the status of the “Learning Continuity Plan” that is expected to be developed by DepEd in response to COVID-19.
Briones replied that they already have the plan in consultation with experts and committees and said that their concern now is the implementation stage.
“Natapos na namin ‘yung plan in consultation with experts and committees. Our concern right now is the implementation part because the regions are different from each other so the continuity plan has to be translated into the regional level. May lugar maski tv or cellphone walang connectivity so usually ang tinitingnan namin ‘yung television so ang challenge is to convert yung kasanayan natin para sa tv, pero may mga lugar na hindi naabot ng TV kaya pumupunta kami sa radio. Kung hindi pwede sa ICT (information communication technology), ang gagamitin natin ay television, radio, cellphone. Ang plano natin lahat ng teacher magkaroon ng laptop para macontact ang estudyante pero ang situation galing sa survey natin, nagpapakita na 687,911 na teacher nagsasabi na may laptop sila at desktop sila.“
Senator Grace Poe also told Briones that the government needs to design a program that is sustainable in the long term.
“I think TV is the most accessible, as well as radio, but it needs to be structure,” Poe added.
Briones also said that on August 24, there will be a “psychological preparation” for the students and teachers.
“Dito sa August 24, unang bahagi nito ay psychological preparation ng mga bata kasama na ang teachers, dahil iba na ang pagtuturo.“
DepEd says they surveyed schools regarding the opening of the classes and the results showed that most schools agreed to have the class opening by August.
DepEd reiterated that face-to-face classes are not required during the class opening.
DepEd also said that their survey results show that many teachers and students have access to the internet.
“Lumabas sa survey, maraming parents at teachers ang may access sa internet.”
This statement from Briones drew different reactions from netizens.
DepEd: *conducts an ONLINE survey to measure how many parents and teachers have access to the internet*
The poor: *have no means to participate in the online survey*
DepEd: Base sa survey namin maraming teachers and parents ang may access sa internet.
Kits niyo problema?
— Mar(x)c – Active transport tayo! 🇵🇸 (@Mrcxism) May 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/mewgulfssi/status/1263775069823578118
deped: *nagpasurvey kung ilang teachers and parents ang may access sa internet*
also deped: *nagonline survey*
bijj wAt da fLucK?!? pic.twitter.com/6jUNYN6mDL
— shamae 🧚🏻♀️ (ia) (@itsyourboykeun) May 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/Aryz_totle/status/1263718354872700928
Deped: To know if parents, teachers, and students have access to the internet, let's conduct an online survey.
Ppl with no online access: are we a joke to you?
— Kopikorumble🍉 (@KofiKrumble) May 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/letyanniesleep/status/1263727266111975426
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
DepEd: “Lumabas sa survey, maraming parents at teachers ang may access sa internet.” pic.twitter.com/QWOeHQhpyw
— #labapilipinas (@labapilipinas) May 22, 2020
Kaloka ang DepEd.
Syempre lalabas sa survey nyo na maraming parents at teachers ang may access sa internet kase yung may internet access lang naman ang nakapag-participate sa survey.
Joke time talaga ang gobyerno natin.
— Puta de Manila (@PutaDeManila) May 22, 2020
Tapos nagpa online survey si @DepEd_PH sa mga teachers at parents pano yung mga mahihirap na wala ng access sa internet di hindi sila nakasali sa isinagawang survey??
— Den earl cortez (@dealwithden) May 22, 2020
https://twitter.com/Jr2105169238/status/1263748983794528257
https://twitter.com/notmarcdanielle/status/1263740797133811712
https://twitter.com/FranceSkyhook/status/1263725377970528257
The netizens claim that not all were able to answer the survey, and maybe the people who don’t have access to the internet did not even have the chance to answer the survey – the reason why the result tells us that most of the teachers and students have internet access.
According to Internet World Stats, as of January 31, 2020, Internet users in the Philippines hits 79,000,000 which is equal to 72.1% of the projected population of the country (109,581,078) by the United Nations Population Division. In 2019, HootSuite and We Are Social released a report which shows that the Philippines tops the World Internet Usage index.
