Senator Ramon Bong Revilla has filed Senate Bill No. 258 which seeks to provide one tablet per student for those enrolled in public schools and state universities and colleges.
Revilla said the measure is expected to assist students in their studies and will “future-proof learning modalities.
The Department of Education, in a statement, said distance learning will address the persistent problem of classroom shortage in public schools, which is seen to recur once classes shift to face-to-face arrangement post-pandemic.
Former DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones further said, “the greatest takeaway from this past year is that we have to be willing, flexible, and embrace technology.”
When enacted, the “One Tablet, One Student Program” will be implemented by the DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to provide a tablet computer to each student of public elementary, secondary, and tertiary schools to enable them to effectively participate in online learning.
“The provision of learning gadgets to the students of the public school system will assure that quality education will be accessible to more Filipinos, especially to those who cannot buy on their own,” Revilla said.
Under the bill, students who already have their own personal learning gadgets shall be given educational assistance in the form of an internet allowance instead, to cover the cost of connectivity.
In a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) last year, 4 out of 10 Filipino students aged 5 to 20 years old do not have a device for distance learning.
However, even before the crafting of the proposed law, Revilla said he has already launched his own initiative, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last 2020, to distribute tablet computers.
He said through his effort, the Kaalaman, Ating Palawakin (KAP) Amazing Gadget Giveaway provided thousands of beneficiaries with fully-functional tablet devices.
Revilla said the initiative started when many of his followers on his social media accounts requested laptops and tablets.
“The changing of times demand that we respond swiftly to the needs of our people. Our laws must always be ever dynamic and responsive, especially in ensuring that the youth, who we so fondly call the future of this nation, will have a bright future through programs that help enrich their education. The “new normal” after all, has taught us that emerging trends in learning should be adapted to so that no student will be left behind,” he said.
