Left-handed drive
Some senators have been pushing for a law requiring schools to provide armchairs for left-handed students since the 15th Congress. They argue that lefty students are disadvantaged against their right-handed classmates as they have to struggle writing on regular armchairs, which have armrests on the right side.
Currently, the Education
department provides two left-handed armchairs for every 40 to 45 students in public schools in the elementary, junior and senior high schools. But the latest bill approved by the 17th Congress in May requires that the number of left-hand armchairs to be made available in every covered school should be at least 10 percent of the student population in the campus.
Now comes a Baguio City councilor who has the bright idea of quantifying the said percentage.
Councilor Vladimir Cayabas is requesting the Schools Division of the Department of Education and also the Commission on Higher Education to make enrollment forms indicate if a student is right or left-handed.
Cayabas said that in order to address the purpose of the Senate bill instituting a comprehensive and holistic framework and programs to help left-handed schoolchildren in all areas of the curriculum, it is important that a data on students who are left-handed be obtained first.
Through his proposed enrollment form, schools can be guided in providing the correct number of materials and equipment for left-handed students.
Cayabas said this will be of great help to left-handed students or pupils in Baguio City in their studies as they would be spared from dealing with facilities and requirements that are intended for right-handed people.
However, some students criticized the measure and said legislators should instead be addressing the lack of schools, classrooms and textbooks instead of pushing for more armchairs for lefties.
The proposal of Cayabas may also be criticized perhaps by leftist students who have qualms in indicating in their enrollment form that they are left-handed, as their political orientation may become obvious amid the government’s plan to counter the communists’ recruitment of students into the movement.