ADVERTISEMENT
News
Gatchalian bats for digitalization of enrollment, grades submission amid COVID-19
By DONA MAGSINO, GMA News Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday said the Department of Education's development of various digital services for students, teachers, and parents should be expedited as the sector transitions to the new normal brought about by COVID-19.
In filing Senate Bill No. 1565 or the Education in the New Normal Act, the chair of the Senate committee on basic education said the provision of free public wifi—as mandated by the existing Free Internet Access in Public Places Act—must be fast-tracked to make online enrollment, payments, grades submissions, and parent-teacher meetings more feasible.
"Nais nating paigtingin ang paggamit ng teknolohiya sa pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon habang pinapanatili ang kaligtasan ng bawat mag-aaral, guro, magulang, at kawani ng mga paaralan," Gatchalian said.
"Kailangang siguruhin natin na ang mga teknolohiyang ito ay abot-kamay ng bawat guro at mag-aaral upang masiguro nating wala sa kanila ang mapag-iiwanan," he added.
Out of the 22 million public school learners in the country, only 16.7 million are enrolled in schools with internet connectivity, according to the senator.
ADVERTISEMENT
Aside from establishing online education systems, Gatchalian said it is also important for DepEd personnel to undergo training for effective transition to digital platforms.
He said the DepEd shall collaborate with the Department of Science and Technology, and the Department of Information and Communications Technology for the digital transformation of the education sector.
Despite his call for more investments in the information and communications technology, Gatchalian emphasized that TV- and radio-based instructions, as well as printed materials will be important modes of learning in the incoming school year.—AOL, GMA News