Error-riddled public school history textbook replaced

An error-riddled high school history textbook has been pulled from distribution by the Department of Education (DepEd) after it was found to contain 431 typographical and factual mistakes.

The history book Asya: Noon, Ngayon, at sa Hinaharap will be replaced with a new one titled Kabihasnang Asyano, Kasaysayan at Kultura, according to Education Secretary Florencio Abad.

Abad said the new book was published after education and history experts finally decided to junk the error-filled Asya after an intensive review was conducted.

The existence of the mistake-filled textbook cast a critical spotlight on textbook review policies under DepEd, though Abad maintained the agency, through its Instructional Materials Council Secretariat, now has a more stringent policy following the flap.

According to Abad, "beyond content, the textbook lifespan has been increased from three years to five years, with prices reduced to half the cost, and with teachers’ manuals included."

The education secretary also said about P813 million had been allotted by DepEd to purchase new textbooks for public schools.

"A total of 104.5 million textbooks and 2.6 million teachers’ manuals have been procured and delivered to public schools for priority subjects, benefiting 16.8 million students," he added.

Earlier, Antonio Calipio, an academic supervisor of Marian School in Quezon City, reported the multiple errors he had found in the textbook. 

The issue was a minor embarrassment to the department after its many mistakes were revealed to the public.

DepEd immediately organized a group of historians and educators coming from exclusive colleges and universities to verify the mistakes.

After the agency concluded the Asya book really contained multiple errors, Abad ordered a pullout of the textbook and vowed to replace it this school year.

Abad also ordered a re-examination of other textbooks released mostly in 2000 — including the subjects of history, English, science and mathematics — but the results of that review have yet to be released.