The Philippine government said that it will pay for the internet fees of its public school teachers and employees as the country increasingly relies on blended learning.
A memo released today by Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Alain Pascua said all “regional, division and school employees (teaching and non-teaching) are tasked to register and update their information” with the government so they could qualify for the benefit.
DepEd Commons is an online learning platform developed for students who have been required to study at home after the government ruled out face-to-face interactions in schools. Both public and private teachers use the platform to aid in distance learning.
The deadline for registration is on Monday, Sept. 21, 12pm.
“Only those who have registered and [have] updated [their] accounts will be qualified for this, once this program is implemented,” said Pascua. He did not detail when the measure will be applied but said provisions will be paid monthly.
Read: Pasig City allots PHP1.3 billion to buy gadgets for public school teachers and students
The Duterte government, meanwhile, has yet to announce concrete plans on how the rest of the country’s teachers and learners should cope with distance learning amid spotty internet connections, with most local governments forced to come up with their own solutions. Last week, Pasig City announced that it is setting aside PHP1.3-billion (US426.7 million) to purchase laptops and tablets for the city’s public school teachers and students.
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the postponement of face-to-face classes in May to prevent the spread of the coronavirus until a vaccine becomes available, a move that posed numerous challenges for both students and teachers. Public school classes are scheduled to resume next month.
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