Public schools allotted P700M-internet budget

THE government has allocated P700 million for the provision of internet access to some 7,000 public schools nationwide as the country shifts to distance learning in school year 2020-2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic, President Rodrigo Duterte said.

In his Q4th weekly report to Congress on the government’s pandemic response, the President said the Department of Education (DepEd) was “procuring internet connection for 7,000 schools to increase the total number of public schools with internet access.”

“The target completion of the project, which costs P700 million, will be in Q0 months,” Duterte said in his report.

The DepEd will implement blended learning in the coming school year even if the President has raised doubt over the country’s capability to implement such learning method.

“Secretary Briones is insisting that there should be an alternative. And she has a very good program for that. Parang (It’s like) teleconferencing. The technology is good. I do not know if we are ready for that,” Duterte earlier said.

Blended learning would allow learners to study through electronic and online media, as well as through traditional face-to-face classes.

Malacañang earlier expressed confidence that the DepEd was ready for the opening of classes on August 24 despite the threat posed by the pandemic.

Briones had assured Duterte and the public that the opening of school did not mean face-to-face classes would resume.

She said students could access learning materials through printouts or online.

For learners who have no access to the Internet, they can be reached through television or radio, Briones added.

In the same report to Congress, Duterte said the DepEd, through a memorandum, had allowed teachers to bring home DepEd-bought devices for use in distance learning.

Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communications (DICT) has partnered with “leading teacher education institutions” to develop and conduct a nationwide Digital Teachers Training Program.

This, Duterte said, was in line with efforts “to build digital capabilities for both teachers and students as a response to the new normal.”

“Further, the DICT is piloting the Digital Learners Project in Pinaglabanan Elementary School in San Juan in August 2020, which will provide gadgets, digital literacy training, and internet connectivity to the teachers and students,” he added.