DepEd says online classes, TV and radio in blended learning are only supplementary for first grading period

On Wednesday, the Department of Education (DepEd) officials said, online classes in public schools may have to take a back seat in the first grading period due to infrastructure capacity issues and the preference of households.

Photo credit: philippines.licas.news

DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan told members of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture,

In the first quarter, online, TV and radio are supplementary, 

The use of tech also has a mix of capacity issue as well as a preference issue by the households.

Internet connectivity continues as an issue in the country despite some local government units issued free tablets and laptops to teachers and students, said Senator Pia Cayetano.

Those who have invested in digital technologies have found na wala din talagang (that there is really no) connectivity for their constituents right now, 

she said.

Anything beyond the National Capital Region, mas choppy pa 'yung connection (the connection was choppy). The infrastructure by telcos, the national government, and private industries in putting the needed infrastructure has not happened,

she said.

Based from the datas of Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the country's average internet speed ranges from 3-7 Mbps, while neighboring countries in the region enjoy up to 55 Mbps.

The DICT said the lack of telecommunications infrastructure in the country was responsible for the slow internet speed as many fiber optic cables and cell sites are needed for faster connection.

The tablets distributed by local governments would not go to waste said Malaluan as students residing in areas with good internet connection could still use the devices to download learning materials from DepEd Commons, the agency's online repository of modules.

It will not be pure online [in public schools] as the private schools are able to do, but even a component of the blended learning with asynchronous online [activities] will be very helpful, 

the official said.

The department's officials said that they has printed 98.83 percent of self-learning modules needed for the first quarter of the school year, and is set to distribute some 1 million devices for public school students.

The 1 million devices account for only 2 percent of the country's total student population. DepEd assumes 15 million learners to access online modules through personal devices.

Education officials will still confirm when would the printing of self-learning modules for the second grading period will be finished.