WHAT would be the simplest and effective way of acquiring knowledge, which every learning institution, in essence, has to provide, other than reading books? None! Because time immemorial, books alone springs countless knowledge. If it has that noble intention, then it also was the best way for writers to acquire decent money. Until then and there, the brutal desecration of books ensued—when the lust for money replaced nobility.
Jeri, the newly recruited scout of the mafia, knows how the DepEd system operates. That was the reason why she was strongly recommended by Sora. From his previous stint, he was familiar at how books were procured, distributed and accounted. He can pinpoint intervention materials, research book, innovation, modular or plain classroom textbooks. And he knows the last one was where the millions were, while the rest were just droopily written for employee’s promotion purposes.
Being there in the classroom, he sees how these present generations of learners are continuously devaluing the significance of paper books. If not drawn with sex organs or the monster in the teacher’s face, books will end up torn apart or with missing pages.
Worst supply officers at the juncture of clearances have no choice but give it all in the weighing scale of scrappers; even new books were not spared. But why in spite of this seemingly indifference of today’s learner; paper books continuously floods DepEd’s storages.
At the learning resource area, Jeri unearthed several cans of worms feasting on the procurement system. Kickbacks in various percentages before books endorsements were common. And he sure agreed, why book writing contests did not participate well; disguise as prices, writer’s idea was bought at measly sum. The bulk goes in the reproduction where the mafia bosses collect their unearned royalties.
By keeping his mouth shot, Jeri is now second in rank after his boss Art, where the latter is currently painting the fruits of his imminent retirement. What good reward is it, other than to assume a vacant seat?
But Jeri knows what kills this wicked hen that lays the golden egg—the crawling octopus arm of technology. Obviously, classrooms are now flooded with cell phones and tabs; sites like Google, educational apps, and even electronic books are leisurely becoming the source of knowledge. Envied at how the public school teachers use these technologies well and how they prevent any misuse, Jeri slowly realizes that if these go on, he might not rip what his predecessors are now delighting. And so he borrowed the secret wand of his friend Rema and went ahead for a chit chat with Superintendent Rico.
The latter envisioning the expansion of his mafia in the Mountainous province saw him approaching and said: what can I favor you, my friend? Jeri went beside Rico’s ear and spelled: There is a significant difference in the rise of pornos and games in public schools; you have to do something. Joyously, the flower vase superintendent found himself in the mafia’s regional headquarters seeking orders to ban the use of cellular phone and gadgets in public school premises.
To be continued...