DEPED LOOKS INTO ONLINE CHEATING

The Department of Education (DepEd) has sought the help of authorities to get to the bottom of an online group in Facebook that allowed students to cheat in their schoolwork by sharing test answers and notes.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said on Monday that cheating in schools had been a lingering issue, but it was not something that the DepEd condoned.

“We will take steps and we already are in touch with the appropriate authorities because we will not tolerate it at least in education,” Briones said in a Palace briefing.

She said the DepEd was trying to trace the source of the information shared with the online group.

“If this was leaked or fell into the hands of students or if there was copying [of answers], we need to investigate it,” she said.

Earlier reports said an “Online Kopyahan” community was active on Facebook and it had, at one point, 600,000 members.

In the group, members shared answers to modules, notes and answer keys to learning materials.

Briones said cheating was a problem not just in school, but in society at large.

Distance learning struggle

The youth have to be taught that this was wrong and that honesty was still the best policy, she said.

The adults should do their part to instill this value into students, she added.

“And perhaps the best teachers of honesty would also be the adults themselves,” Briones said.

The online cheating group arose as students struggled with distance learning, which has become the norm due to school closures imposed since last year as part of restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Students trying to keep up with schoolwork at home have had to deal with poor internet connection and inadequate supervision from teachers or guardians.

The United Nations Children’s Fund also noted in its survey on distance learning modalities conducted in May that 84 percent of the parents had reported that children were learning less in the current school setup than face-to-face classes.