The Department of Education will be distributing electronic gadgets to public school teachers and students.
Nationwide distribution of electronic gadgets
The Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones, announces the distribution of around 1.3 million electronic gadgets consisting of laptops, tablets, and computers to public school teachers and students across the country.
These electronic gadgets will be used to deliver online learning to students that will not be able to attend physical classes come August 24.
The proposed alternative education system of the Department of Education (DepEd) will be a mix of physical classes, online learning, and mass media. The DepEd acknowledges the risk of physical learning to students and teachers, which is why this option is only limited to areas allowed by the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19.
Online learning has a huge downside due to gadgets and internet accessibility. The DepEd has already tapped the help of major Telcos in the Philippines to provide free internet access on websites used by the department for online learning.
The DepEd already purchased 167,500 tablets and 54,350 laptops last year, which are set to arrive sometime soon. And for the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) this year, the department is aiming to acquire a total of 634,877 computers and 475,650 tablets. These electronic gadgets will be distributed to disadvantaged public students nationwide, in aid for the distance learning program.
Distance learning approach
The department has also procured 190,754 laptops to be used by public school teachers in monitoring student performance in distance learning.
According to data, only 11 percent of public school teachers do not own a laptop or desktop computer. The purchased laptops will be allotted to those 11 percent. The department asks for consideration from the teachers to use their personal gadgets in the meantime.
The government is doing its best to share the budget accordingly during this pandemic. The goal, for now, is for every teacher to have a laptop to be used for distance learning.
The department will also tap on radio stations and television channels to set-up time slots to broadcast education shows for students in far-flung areas.
