DICT requests aid from NTC to ensure free use of DepEd Commons

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has requested aid in ensuring that users will not incur data charges when using the Department of Education's (DepEd) online educational platform.

Teachers and students gained free access to DepEd Commons in late April.

In a letter, the DICT endorsed to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) the proposal of Education Secretary Leonor Briones to call for the support of telecommunication providers such as PLDT-Smart and Globe.

NTC is an attached agency of DICT.

“The continued provision of access and connectivity to DepEd Commons is essential to the government’s continuous delivery of public education services to learners, teachers, and other users,” DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan II said in the letter.

More than 2.6 million users have accessed the platform amid the quarantine period due to the coronavirus disease 2019 threat, according to DepEd.

“Access to materials and resources for learning and education during these times is critical to preparing our children for the future, which is why the DICT fully supports ICT-enabled initiatives for education, like the DepEd Commons,” Honasan said.

“DepEd’s initiative is one that brings us much closer to transitioning to a ‘new normal’. [T]he DICT will assist DepEd in realizing its vision of enabling our students to continue with their education, despite the current situation,” he added.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Tuesday earlier said the school year 2020 - 2021 will open on August 24.—AOL, GMA News