Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 26) — Lawmakers have filed bills at the House of Representatives proposing a no-homework policy for students from kindergarten to high school.
Quezon City Representative Alfred Vargas filed House Bill (HB) No. 3883, aiming to free elementary and high school students from homework on weekends.
Vargas’ bill cited a study from South Africa which said homework was a “burden” for both children and parents. The bill also cited other studies which said homework sometimes affected family life “in a negative way.”
Vargas said HB 3883 “aims to promote and protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being of the youth” and to have them enjoy their free time on weekends.
The Department of Education will formulate the rules and regulations needed to implement the act, said Vargas. In his proposal, teachers who violate the law shall be “penalized with P50,000 and/or shall be sentenced to jail for one to two years.”
Meanwhile, Sorsogon Representative Evelina Escudero filed HB 3611, a similar bill, but expands the coverage to include students from kindergarten, as well as the time for homework prohibition to include schooldays. Escudero’s bill also disallows students from kindergarten to grade 6 from bringing home school textbooks because of their heavy weight.
