‘Internet access for 7,000 public schools to be completed in 10 months’
MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday the provision of internet access to some 7,000 public schools is expected to be completed in 10 months even as distance learning is set to start in August.
The President, in his 14th report to Congress on the government's pandemic response, said the
Department of Education is procuring internet connection for more public schools at a P700 million price tag.
"The target completion of the project, which costs P700 million, will be in 10 months," Duterte said in his June 29 report.
Earlier this month, Duterte also reported that the Department of Information and Commun ica t ions Technology is working with education agencies to provide free WiFi in schools.
He said the DICT directed its regional offices to coordinate with DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) "for the prompt installation and deployment of the Free WiFi Internet Access Service."
Online learning is one of the modes of education delivery under the DepEd's "blended" learning plan for the opening of classes on August 24. It however clarified that printed modules, radio, and television would also be used for the education of students.
In-person classes have been prohibited to avoid exposing students and teachers to the risk of contracting the coronavirus.
The month-long enrollment for the basic education level ended yesterday. (Arianne Merez, ABS-CBN News)