No pressing need for laptops
There is no urgent need for public school teachers to buy laptops and computers despite the shift towards other alternative learning delivery modes, a Department of Education (DepEd) official said Monday.
DepEd Undersecretary Alain Pascua clarified that despite the availability of online learning as a teaching mode, there are alternatives available.
“The beauty of our approach is that we have options available for everyone. The new school year is not exclusive for students with gadgets,” Pascua said.
The DepEd, however, recognizes the importance of having the right equipment for the task at hand, and is striving to immediately provide public school teachers with laptops and other equipment, he said. As early as April, the Office of the Undersecretary for Administration (OUA) has released a memorandum allowing school heads to release or lend equipment to its teachers. The memorandum provided guidelines enabling public school teachers to borrow IT equipment such as desktop computers, laptops, tablet PC, and smartphones from their schools for use during the pandemic and in preparation for school year 2020-2021. Similarly, a set of guidelines was also prescribed for select learners who wish to borrow equipment from the school through OUA memorandum 00-0720-0063, subject to the approval of the school head.
The Learner Enrolment and Survey Form will be the primary basis for identifying learners who may borrow devices, with priority given tow learners with disabilities. Under the Digital Rise Program, Pascua said DepEd is moving towards providing all schools with the appropriate IT equipment, including providing laptops for all public school teachers.
“How can we expect teachers to teach our learners about technology, when they do not have the right equipment to do so? We are now trying to fast track our Digital Rise Program, in line with the President’s direction to move towards online and digital learning,” Pascua said.
Virtual seminar
On Monday, 10 August, DepEd will conduct the online “Handang Isip, Handa Bukas” that will feature schools’ localized implementation of the Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).
Ten schools nationwide will present how they contextualized the BE-LCP through simulation activities for the opening of classes.
Navotas National High School, one of the first schools to conduct a dry run for distance learning this school, will present its BE-LCP implementation as a large urban school.
The beauty of our approach is that we have options available for everyone. The new school year is not exclusive for students with gadgets.
Mangayon Elementary School in Compostela Valley and Don Ruben E. Ecleo Sr. Memorial National High School in Dinagat Islands will also highlight their initiatives in mountain and island settings, respectively.
Indigenous Peoples (IP) and special education, meanwhile, will be represented by Calay IP School in Sarangani Province and Malaya Elementary School in Pililla, Rizal, respectively.
Marinduque’s Don Luis Hidalgo Memorial School (rural–complete school), Abra’s Sucao ES (multi-grade school), Isabela’s Santiago City NHS (urban–medium) and Shining Light Academy (private), and Davao del Norte’s TAGUMpay Palengskwelehan ALS Center (school with community learning center) will also be represented.