ICT equipments, a priority to be provided by the gov't to last-mile schools

President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday that the government will increase the number of schools with information and communications technology (ICT) equipment to support of the Department of Education's (DepEd) Learning Continuity Program for blended learning.

Photo credit: cnnphilippines.com

We must implement online learning, modular learning and radio and TV-based broadcast which students coming from different backgrounds can avail. DepEd will provide the printed modules to students who cannot afford online learning,

 Duterte said in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa.

He added such schools would be ready in the coming months.

"The DepEd and the DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) are building up the public education network or PEN that will connect all public schools and DepEd offices nationwide," he added.

All last-mile schools will be prioritized by the government.  The connection of the schools with no electricity supply will have it via satellite and will be energized by means of solar panels, President Duterte assured.

"TV frequencies reverted back to government for whatever cause or reason shall not be used exclusively to the exclusion of other persons or other dummies to cope up with the demand of the next normal, these should be used to provide uninterrupted quality education to our children and our shift to e-learning," he added.

The statement was voiced out by the president in his 5th State of the Nation Address, a week after he approved the Department of Education's proposal to hold limited in-person or face-to-face classes in areas with low risk of COVID-19 transmission starting January 2021.

He approved the DepEd's proposal on limited face-to-face classes thinking that a vaccine against COVID-19 would be available by September.

"Until the COVID-19 vaccine is available, I will not allow the traditional face-to-face teaching or learning, unless the risk of exposure to the sickness [is] eliminated," he said.

"I cannot and will not put to risk the health and lives of our students and teachers," he added.