Manila city gov't told not to sell gadgets that will be lent to students and teachers

The Manila city government allotted a budget of over P1 billion to buy 11,000 laptops with pocket WiFis for teachers, and 136,950 tablets and 286,000 SIM cards with 10 GB monthly allotment of bandwidth for students. This will help teachers and students to adapt to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposal of blended learning for the upcoming school year.

Photo credit: newsinfo.inquirer.net

And on Monday, August 17, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso wrote on Facebook that the gadgets for public school students and teachers in Manila have arrived at the Manila City Hall.

Once distributed to teachers and students, as well as the students parents, were reminded not to sell the gadgets and connectivity devices that the Manila city government lent them. 

They were told they have to return the devices in good working condition after they graduate, or when they switch schools or drop out from school, as these are still the property of the city government, said Division of City Schools (DCS)-Manila Superintendent Maria Magdalena Lim.

Lim said on a live broadcast on Wednesday, August 19,

Ang tablet ay parang pahiram lang para mapahiram sa mga bata sa distance learning ngayon, pagmamay-ari pa rin ng gobyerno,

[The tablets were only lent to the children to help them with the distance learning, they are still the property of the government,]

Those who will be lent with the gadgets will have to sign an affidavit of undertaking upon receipt of the gadgets. It is to ensure that they will be held accountable should the gadgets not be returned.

If they lose or break the gadgets they will be required to replace the gadgets. Students who will not be able to return the gadgets or replace it with a new one will not be allowed to receive their card and Form 137, that are needed to enroll for the next grade level.

However, if the gadgets were stolen or were damaged during natural calamities, such as typhoons and earthquakes, the students and teachers will need to provide proof.

Division of City Schools superintendent said that the gadgets to be distributed were formatted. It can only be used for educational purposes, games and other non-educational applications cannot be downloaded on the tablets.

Manila Isko Moreno said that the gadgets will be distributed starting Monday, August 24.