DepEd: Laguna students to get tablet computers

For this school year, students at some schools in Laguna province will have something even their counterparts in Metro Manila may envy: tablet computers. Department of Education Undersecretary Tonisito Umali hinted Monday this may be the basis of a long-term DepEd program to replace heavy books with high-tech gadgets. "Sa Laguna binibigyan nila ng tablet ang mga estudyante sa Laguna. Kausap natin si Gov. E.R. Ejercito, yan malaking bagay rin dahil makakatulong yan sa usaping kakulangan ng aklat," he said in an interview on dwIZ radio. (In Laguna, some schools are getting tablets. Governor Emilio Ramon Ejercito III believes this will be a big deal for students because it will help address the lack of textbooks.) However, Ejercito did not immediately say how many schools or students in Laguna will be using the tablet computers. A feature article on the Laguna government website indicated the eRizal Tablet is to be distributed to schools on the 150th birth anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, June 19. "The eRizal Tablet provides an easier and a more interactive access of students to electronic textbook copies, and avoids them from bringing numerous and heavy ones," it said. Provincial Administrator Leonardo Ragaza Jr. said this tool would sharpen Laguna’s competitiveness when it comes to education. Meanwhile, Umali said the DepEd is considering developing online learning modules that can use such tablet computers. "Plano ng DepEd ang pag-develop ng modules, i-upload sa Internet o i-download ng batang may tablet ... dapat pagisipang mabuti," he said. (We have been considering developing online modules that will be uploaded to the Internet, to be downloaded by pupils with tablets. We have to thresh out the details.) He added that this is part of the government's efforts to be "more innovative" in the field of education by using computers and the Internet. "Nagiging innovative lang tayo, sa computer at Internet, using it as a tool for learning and teaching (We have to be innovative. We can use the computer and Internet as a tool for learning and teaching)," he said. — TJD, GMA News