Poe wants teachers to limit homework given to students from Kinder to Grade 12 during weekdays

Wants a ban in the giving of assignments during weekends

(Eagle News)–Senator Grace Poe has filed a bill that aims to limit the homework given to select students during weekdays, and bans it entirely  during weekends.

In filing Senate Bill No. 966 on Aug. 27, Poe noted that  the welfare of students from the kindergarten to Grade 12 levels, who are covered by the bill, and teachers should be promoted, noting that assignments were only “additional stress.”

She also cited a 2009 study conducted by the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development’s Program for International Student Assessment that said that doing around four hours of homework per week has a “negligible impact” on students’ performance.

The study also found, Poe said, that there was “not much of a connection” between how much homework a student of a particular country does and how well he or she scores in tests.

Finnish students, for instance, she said, do only three hours of homework per week but in 2012, they scored sixth highest in the world in reading and 12th highest in Math on the OECD PISA international test.

Poe also noted that poor students usually have limited access to resources  necessary to complete their homework.

” This bill…aims to..protect (students) from conditions that may adversely affect their health and their right to a balanced life, and uphold equality among students across different socioeconomic backgrounds,” Poe added.

The bill, if enacted into law, will institutionalize and expand Department of Education memorandum circular number 392  s. 2010 which advised teachers to limit the giving of homework to public elementary students in general on weekdays, and to refrain from giving homework on weekends.