P50,000 fine to teachers violating 'no homework' bill a mistake, says author

The proposed Bill No. 3883 by Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas which includes penalties of P50,000 or imprisonment for teachers violating the "NO Homework" policy during weekends is an "honest mistake," he said.

The proposal aims to prevent teachers from assigning homework to elementary and high school students during weekends. However, the provision includes penalties for violators and even bars teachers from giving weekend take-home work.

Vargas later issued an apology to those who were concerned and to those who were hurt.

"It was a legislative mistake. Honest mistake po iyun na pinaninindigan ko naman po. Hindi naman kasi iyan criminal law. Hindi 'yan dapat lagyan ng pena. Para po iyon sa isang bill kong inihahanda. Nalito lang po kami," Vargas told radio DZMM.

The proposed bill drew flak from teachers who called the provision as "overkill." “Grabe naman iyan two years na kulong at Php 50,000 na multa. That’s too much, parang overkill naman iyan,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Partylist Rep. France Castro said

Meanwhile the Department of Education expressed support to "No homework" policy stated on DepEd Memorandum No. 392, series 2010, which gives learners a holistic development inside and outside the campus.

“The said issuance aims to enable learners to have more quality time with their parents, family, and friends by limiting the homework/assignment to a reasonable quantity on school days and by eliminating the same during weekends,” DepEd said.