SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian called on the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education and academic institutions to curb various forms of cheating in online learning like the sagot-for-sale scheme.

Under the scheme, parents hire others to answer their children’s modules for them.

Gatchalian warned that this practice would leave students dumb.

“Kung hindi natin wawakasan itong sagot for sale at iba pang anyo ng pandaraya sa distance learning, lalong hindi matututo ang mga mag-aaral. At kapag nalusutan nila ito sa unang pagkakataon, uulit-ulitin na nila ang ganitong pandaraya. Dekalidad na edukasyon ang nakasalalay dito,” he said.

“Ang layunin natin sa pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon ay matiyak na ang ating mga kabataan ay hindi lamang natututo. Hinuhubog din natin sila para maging matapat, mahusay, at mapagkakatiwalaan,” the senator added.

Social media is flooded with offers to work on school requirements for P150 up to P500

These requirements include modules, research papers, essays, and video editing. Those who offer their services are either high school or college students who claim to use the extra cash for their learning needs.

Those who offer these services on social media use the hashtags #AcademicCommission, #AcademicWriting, and #AcademicService, among others.

Gatchalian said this practice and all other kinds of cheating should be investigated.

He also emphasized the importance of investing in assessment technologies to uphold academic integrity in digital education.