ANGELES CITY – Young learners in government schools have been assured of their education amidst pandemic as the local chief executive in this city vowed to provide 55,000 tablets for their use.
Mayor Carmelo Lazatin, Jr. said the gadgets are intended for use of students in 53 public schools including elementary and high schools.
The project, Lazatin said is to ensure that no one is left behind when it comes to education amid the COVID-19 crisis.
He clarified that the tablets will remain a property of the city government after the school year. “I wants it to be used exclusively for educational purposes.
“At the end of the school year, students need to give it back to the school para magamit nila ulit sa susunod na school year kung kailangan,” said Lazatin in a statement.
Lazatin allotted P150 million under the Special Education Fund (SEF) surplus for the procurement of the tablets.
For the year 2020, the city has recorded an over-collection of P5 million for its SEF that will be utilized for one-month free internet subscription for the use of the students.
Lazatin sought the support of local internet internet service providers to give high-quality internet access to public school students.
He tasked the Department of Education (Dep Ed) Division of Angeles City to survey the number of households of the public school students.
This will help disadvantaged students to continue their education at home once the national government decides to shift to online class learning, Lazatin says.
“As we face this health crisis, we have to ensure that students, especially those struggling financially, will have adequate resources for home-based learning,” he added.
Lazatin earlier said the city government will promote digital education to students in public schools.
“The tablets that will be purchased will be exclusively for learning,” Lazatin said.
DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said the opening of classes will be on August 24. However, it will be a “non-face-to-face interaction” until there is no available vaccine yet for COVID-19.
“Kung ano po ang regulasyon ng ating pamahalaan, susunod po tayo, pero sisiguraduhin po natin na susuportahan natin ang ating mga mag-aaral at ang kanilang mga magulang sa abot ng ating makakaya. The city government is here to assist them,” Lazatin said.
