1. Is digital technology making learners lives better?

Oppositional side :

Technology in the field of education made teaching and learning extremely easy but on
their other side, excessive use of technology made our physical, and mental health
suffer badly in some of the cases. In our oppositional side how digital technology
making learners lives better. So, let’s proceed towards the topic.
First, Digital technology kills Social Skills. One of the most negative impacts of
technology on our students is that it is slowly and gradually killing their social skills and
prefers to stay isolated. They easily get addicted to technology which in return causes
them to use it more and more. A child's social skills usually appear when the child plays
too many games on a computer because they become disconnected from real life. The
child, who doesn’t communicate, interact and share with his/her environment, will try to
meet all these needs in a virtual environment.
For example, children can see the level they have achieved in a game. This level is a
respectability element, and they can try to gain respectability in the vicinity of friends.
However, these titles, which have no importance in real life, should be replaced by skills
such as respect, love, sharing, and communication. A child should gain respect for
these skills, so it’s important to praise them for these elements.

Second, Digital technology is a major source of distraction too. Students know very well
that technology is great and open-source of learning for them but as they get familiar
with the use of technology, the majority of them use it negatively. Instead of learning
things, they try to access the invalid things that are available on the internet. The ease
to access invalid and inappropriate things not only distract them but also affects their
learning capabilities. Also Digital technology lowers the attention span of the learners
Spending too much time using the most common technological devices such as
computers, smartphones, and tablets can cause distraction and concentration
difficulties.  Digital technology on children has it affects their academic success. As we
mentioned at the very beginning, the reason for such problems is the extreme
(unconscious) use of technology, not the technology itself. It should not be forgotten that
technological developments primarily aim to provide benefits for us. Using the right
technology in the right amount is not harmful to anyone.

Third , Digital technology can cause physical health issues . Prolong exposure to
technology can cause eyestrain Technologies, such as handheld tablets, smartphones,
and computers, can hold a person’s attention for long periods. This may lead to
eyestrain. Symptoms of digital eyestrain can include blurred vision and dry eyes.
Eyestrain may also lead to pains in other areas of the body, such as the head, neck, or
shoulders. Also Digital technology can cause sedentary lifestyle. Extended use of
digital technology promotes a more sedentary lifestyle which is known to have negative
health effects such as contributing to ; obesity , cardiovascular disease and type 2
diabetes.

The recent boom in technology has changed the average lifestyle. While technology has
many positive effects, there are some possible risks. Anyone uncertain about the effects
that technology has on them may want to take steps to cut back on their use of devices
and screen time and re-evaluate how they feel with and without these devices.

2. Should Senior High School be continued or Abolished

What is K-12 program? The K–12 program, sometimes referred to as K-12, is an
education system under the Department of Education that aims to enhance learners’
basic skills, produce more competent citizens, and prepare graduates for lifelong
learning and employment. “K” stands for Kindergarten, and “12” refers to the following
12 years of basic education (6 years of elementary education, 4 years of junior high
school, and 2 years of senior high school).

Some parents of senior high school students are opposed to K-12 programs because
they believe it adds two years to their children’s graduation. Aside from the additional 2
years, the tuition fees at private schools are also expensive. Books, wifi, and technology
are scarce in public high schools. So, VP Sara is the only hope that the program will be
improved or to abolish the K-12 Program.
Students who participate in the K–12 program receive an extra year of high school. Six
years of secondary education in various nations now follow the K-12 curriculum.
Because this curriculum requires teachers to teach, the two extra high school years
provide an advantage to applicants for the position. But this means that it is costly for
the parents since some of the students have moved to private schools instead of
staying in the public school system.

While the K to 12 program in the Philippines is aimed to help improve the quality of
education in the Philippines and produce better skilled students for maximum
employability, K to 12 has also been bombarded with criticisms, mainly on the financial
ability of Filipinos to support their children through three additional years of school.
Under the current setup, two more years of school means thousands more in expenses.
And under the K to 12 Program, which requires students to choose one of three SHS
tracks in their curriculum, things are about to get pricier.
Since it was signed into law, there have been five petitions and counting from students,
teachers and parents claiming that the new K to 12 educational program will, among
other issues, aggravate the financial situation of Filipino families and force millions to
drop out of school. Unfortunately, this additional financial burden also forces thousands
or even millions of students to drop out of school due to additional educational
expenses. As much as this educational development can help students, Filipino parents
and families are ill-equipped.
In the third petition filed by the National Union of People’s Lawyers they say that “The K
to 12 Program is no ordinary government program. It is set to redefine access to
education, especially for the poor who must spend for additional years of education. It
unduly burdens the exercise of the human right to education.”
In a study done by youth solon Kabataan Party-List (KPL), students who are going to be
entering senior high school will need to access as much as PHP200,000 for the next
two additional years. Computing the food and transportation allowance of average
students of P100 to P150 for 200 school days, families will need to produce around
P20,000 to P30,000 annually. Meanwhile, calculating the cost of school supplies and
other miscellaneous expenses, such as uniforms and workbooks, based on Department
of Trade and Industry data and case studies from Araullo High School, KPL estimates
another P10,000 burden for parents brought on by the K to 12 program.
But aside from the additional expenses, the financial issue may further be aggravated
since not all public high schools will be able to offer senior high school education.
According to DepEd data, almost half of public schools around the country will not be
implementing SHS courses due to the lack of classrooms and teachers. In fact, less
than half, or 3,839, out of 7,976 public high school nationwide will implement SHS
courses, according to the DepEd’s list of K to 12 program-ready schools. To graduate
from senior high, public-school students may be forced to transfer to private schools or
public schools that are farther from their residences. These translate to higher tuition
fees and equipment for vocational courses, on top of higher transportation costs.