The Department of Education-Baguio Schools Division is set to procure more than 8,000 tablets for chosen learners when virtual classes among the basic education learners is implemented for school year 2021-2022.
DepEd-Baguio Schools Division Superintendent Carolyn Verano said the office will use the P45 million from the Special Education Fund (SEF) to procure tablets for chosen learners.
Verano said DepEd-Baguio is looking at the possibility of procuring 8,500 from the P45M SEF allocation.
She said although the tablets will not suffice for the city’s more than 60,00 learners, it will help those who need it the most when the DepEd implements the conduct of virtual classes this coming school year.
Verano said they will set guidelines in choosing the learners who will be given tablets. Among other considerations, the DepEd will assess the availability of gadgets to be used by a learner, the capacity of their parents to buy gadgets for them, and if the learner shares a gadget with other members of their household.
The tablets to be procured by the DepEd will be lent to the chosen learners.
The DepEd’s move to hold virtual classes and digitize the self-learning modules is aimed at lessening the use of paper.
DepEd-Cordillera Director Estela Cariño earlier said the agency is now working on different learning modalities with the use of online and offline connections aside from the printed modules.
Verano said that even in an urban area like Baguio, the DepEd has encountered challenges in printing, reproduction, delivery, and retrieval of modules because of several factors like the lack of paper, inks, machines for reproduction, and the implementation of barangay lockdowns that got in the way of module delivery and retrieval.
She said the conduct of virtual classes is the closest to face-to-face classroom interactions, which are still not allowed in the coming school year due to the threat of the Covid-19. – Jane B. Cadalig
April 20, 2024
