Thursday, December 4, 2008

(Fee)dom of Connection

My brother’s high school is planning to implement an internet fee. The idea behind this is that the teachers would post messages, upload assignments and projects online and the students would learn about this by checking the site. According to the school officers, this would prepare the students for college, as this is how it works there (college).

Taking aside the issue of due process (there was no prior consultation with the parents, students and school organizations as mandated by CHED), I highly question the wisdom of this added fee. In college, the professors are not always present: we meet once or twice in a week, or sometimes not at all. This is totally different in high school because the teachers are present everyday and they could very well inform the students of the next day’s assignment during class hours. It would be total absurdity if the teacher would prolong the waiting by telling the students that the assignment is online, instead of just writing it on the board.

Add this to the fact that not all of them have access to internet at home, nor have laptops of their own to bring to school. Imagine this situation: each student has to pay P100 a month for the operation of said policy. But in order for a student to access the assignment for tomorrow, he still has to pay P20 per hour in a computer shop before he can do so. For me, this is an absurd situation.

Maria Cristina Yambot

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