A group of teachers insists that educators should have the right to fail their students if they performed poorly in their subjects.
While public schools have no policy of mass promotion of students, Teachers' Dignity Coalition National Chairperson Benjo Basas admitted on Thursday, June 1, that some school supervisors prevent teachers from giving a failing grade.
"Supervisor iyan, ibig sabihin ang hawak niyan ay distrito. Ang distrito ay cluster of schools. Minsan hanggang 10 schools iyan o mahigit pa," Basas said during DZRH's Magandang Umaga Pilipinas.
He also criticized the tradition of blaming teachers if the students repeat a grade level.
"Kapag binagsak mo yung bata, ibig sabihin ay kasalanan mo iyan. Ano ba ang ginawa mo? Hindi mo, ibig sabihin ay hindi natuto dahil hindi ka nagturo ng enough," Basas said
"Ang dami kasing factor para yung bata ay matuto. Hindi lang naman teacher ang factor but, of course, ang single, most important factor is the teacher," he added.
Basas made the call in order to improve the quality of education in the Philippines.
"Kung gusto talaga natin na mataas yung level of competency ng mga bata, gusto natin ng quality education, talagang huwag natin ipasa kapag hndi talaga pwedeng ipasa," Basas stressed.
Basas said that teachers must also receive compensation for providing remedial or summer classes to students who failed to pass their subjects.
