Senator Grace Poe implored government regulators and telecommunications companies (telcos) to boost their linkages and provide free internet access to public schools.
Poe said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Education (DepEd) should work closely with the telcos to ensure students even in the most remote schools experience the fruits of connectivity.
“At a time when the education of our children relies on connectivity, access to the free internet is a crucial need that telcos can help provide,” the veteran legislator said in a recent national budget deliberation.
“What to telcos could be a drop in the bucket can go a long mile for the efficient learning of our students.”
“What to telcos could be a drop in the bucket can go a long mile for the efficient learning of our students,” the chairperson of the Senate public services committee added.
On the seasoned lawmaker’s inquiry, it was learned that only around 69 percent of the close to 45,000 public schools have internet access and at varying degrees.
“It’s unimaginable for a big population of students not to have access to Wi-Fi especially now when we are saying that online education has become part of the new normal.”
“It’s unimaginable for a big population of students not to have access to Wi-Fi especially now when we are saying that online education has become part of the new normal,” the lady senator said.
“Some may be able to spend a few pesos for Wi-Fi for their school work such as research, but how about the others who do not have the means?” she added.
Poe asked the DepEd to submit a report on the status of connectivity of public schools to determine the areas in need of internet access.
She said the information will be crucial when she presents the proposed budget of the DICT in plenary.
Poe expressed optimism the telcos will continue to be a willing partner of the government in the latter’s digitalization program.
“We believe telcos will always heed the challenge to do more for the worthwhile goal of inclusive, quality education,” she concluded.
