Some non-teaching personnel got laptops for teachers, says Tolentino

Even non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education received laptops which the DepEd procured for teachers in connection with distance learning at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senate Blue Ribbon Chairman Francis Tolentino said Thursday.

At the continuation of the Senate committee inquiry into the P2.4-billion laptop deal of the DepEd, Tolentino said a document indicated that in Region III for example, there were two engineers, one medical officer, and one dentist who were given laptops.

The same goes for other regions where laptops were distributed to lawyers, accountants and bookkeepers.

"Siguro na-defeat na rin ang purpose ng laptops for teaching personnel. Kung saan saan na napunta. So let this be part of the records," Tolentino said.

"Originally, yung pera ay para sa estudyante pang-load kinonvert para laptop ng guro. Nung maglaon, nagkaroon ng issue kung tama ba 'yung laptop o hindi, tama ba ang proseso...nung maglaon, nung dinistribute na, implementation phase, mayroon namang mga nakatanggap na hindi guro pero malamang lamang bahagi rin sila ng DepEd," he added.

He then asked the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition to comment on this.

TDC National President Benjo Basas reiterated the statements made by six public school teachers through separate affidavits, showing that the laptops could not be used properly due to its specifications and some even wanted to return these DepEd-issued laptops.

Basas then appealed to the government to prioritize the distribution of free laptops to teaching personnel in DepEd and provide free internet connectivity for the teachers.

"Since March of 2020, humihingi na po talaga kami ng laptop and prior to the pandemic po dapat may laptop talaga ang teacher kasi hindi po makakapagturo kapag walang computer. So sana po isa sa mga resulta ng investigation na ito maliban sa maparusahan ang may kasalanan kung meron at mapatutunayan, sana po ay mag-provide ang ating gobyerno ng free laptops at internet connectivity para sa ating public school teachers para po sa pagtuturo... Lalong-lalo na po-- priority must be given sa classroom teachers po talaga," Basas said. —NB, GMA News