DepEd should clarify classroom decoration policy — teachers' group

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education should clarify its order to remove “unnecessary” classroom decorations to ensure that teachers don’t end up discarding legitimate teaching aids they’ve prepared ahead of the school year, a teacher’s group said Saturday.

Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte should define what decorations DepEd deems as “unnecessary” to prevent teachers from taking the order “literally,” said a representative of the Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC), a national organization of public school teachers.

“There's no specific directive yet. We need to reach that level of specificity in the order. We can't just say ‘unnecessary’ and expect each one to have their own justifications, because what's necessary for one person may not be necessary for another,” TDC Chairperson Benjo Basas said in Filipino in an interview with Radyo 630.  

There are studies that show children learn better through visually stimulating learning materials like posters and charts, Basas said, which should supposedly be enough basis for schools heads and teachers to not “take (the order) too literally.” 

“What our secretary is saying pertains to unnecessary items. So when they say unnecessary, we really don't need them. But can't you defend – if you're a teacher – that you're displaying the chemical table of elements? That means we won't remove all of it,” Basas said in Filipino.

“Posters are a big help. For example, the solar system. Panatang Makabayan. Biographical notes about heroes and their pictures, and what they did for us. Lyrics of the national anthem. There are so many of those. And all of these contribute to learning,” he added.

The order to declutter classrooms came after Duterte told schools to ensure that classrooms are "free from clutter” before the opening of classes this year. 

Specifically, the DepEd chief said in an interview with the media on August 16: “So alisin ‘yung mga decoration, mga nakadikit, kung ano ‘yung mga nakasulat, lahat. Lahat ‘yon (So remove the decorations, the attached decorations, whatever is written, everything. All of those).”

Duterte was also seen removing posters and educational materials in a classroom during her visit to a Brigada Eskwela activity in Bansalan, Davao del Sur on August 17. Brigada Eskwela is a program held before the opening of classes in which volunteers help clean classrooms, repair infrastructure, paint walls, and other tasks to create an optimal learning environment for students.

This directive sparked confusion among teachers and other stakeholders who have traditionally spruced up their classrooms with various posters and learning materials weeks before schools open — most expenses of which come from their own pockets.

While DepEd has yet to issue a separate order on its policy for classroom decorations, its guidelines for Brigada Eskwela in DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2023 ordered schools to clear “school grounds, classrooms and all its walls (of) unnecessary artwork, decorations, tarpaulin and posters."

Specifically, the DepEd order said classrooms should not contain “oversized signages with commercial advertisements, words of sponsorships and/or endorsements or announcements of any kind or nature.”

No pictures of politicians 

The TDC chairperson added that the order to declutter classrooms may also pertain specifically to removing pictures of politicians and government officials. 

Duterte was seen removing her official portrait from the wall of a classroom during her participation in the Brigada Eskwela activity in Bansalan.

"Now, if our secretary doesn't want the feature of the secretary or president in the classroom, it's acceptable because she specifically mentioned it. Because in the past, isn't it difficult to remove (those portraits)? Maybe those are the ones that strain the students' eyes,” Basas said. 

“But images of heroes like Andres Bonifacio, Macario Sakay, Antonio Luna, it seems like those shouldn't be removed,” he added. — with reports by The STAR / Janvic Mateo, Diana Lhyd Suelto