USAID turns over donation

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) last Friday turned over 371 laptop computers worth more than Php16 million ($333,000) to the Department of Education (DepEd).

The donation was part of the United States’ ongoing commitment to support the Philippine government’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan during the Covid-19 pandemic,

In a ceremony held at the DepEd Central Office, USAID Philippines Office of Education Director Dr. Thomas LeBlanc handed the laptops over to DepEd Assistant Secretary for Alternative Learning System (ALS) G.H. Ambat.

The laptops will support ALS teachers and coordinators in the field who provide education to out-of-school children and youth. ALS teachers and administrators will use this equipment to continue working with students, updating lesson content, innovating teaching methods and monitoring learners’ progress.

This new donation supplements an October 2020 USAID handover to DepEd of laptops, printers, projectors, and learning materials. USAID also provided five DepEd “e-Skwela Centers” with equipment to expand their outreach to vulnerable out-of-school youth who want to enroll in the ALS.

It is part of USAID’s Opportunity 2.0, a five-year, P1.9-billion ($37.5 million) project supports DepEd, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and local governments in their ongoing programs providing relevant education, employability skills, and work experience to out-of-school youth.