Teachers’ distance learning gadgets being taken back? DepEd denies claims for NCR

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) on Tuesday alleged that the gadgets issued to public school teachers for the implementation of distance learning were being reclaimed in certain areas.

The group claimed that the Department of Education (DepEd) has been taking back laptops, desktops, tablets, and smartphones that had been distributed to teachers for the conduct of blended learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with the full implementation of in-person classes set to begin on Wednesday, November 2.

“[ACT] received reports from public schools in Zamboanga del Sur, Camarines Norte, Quezon City, Malabon City and Cebu City that teachers were ordered to return the devices lent to them given that full face-to-face classes are set to resume on November 2,” ACT said in a statement.

This was, however, denied by DepEd in the case of the schools in the National Capital Region (NCR), at least.

DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said that he spoke to their NCR regional director, after the issue was raised in a message thread with reporters.

“No order was made to return gadgets,” he said.

He added that their schools division superintendents in Quezon City and Malabon also told him that there was no order for such.

In case of the other mentioned areas by ACT, Poa said that they will verify the information with concerned officials and will issue a statement soon.

Based on the Deped Office of the Undersecretary for Administration Memorandum 00-0420-0029 or the “Guidelines on the Use of Desktop Computers, Laptops, Tablet PCs, and Smartphones at Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic” issued on April 2020, teachers “are required to return the said devices upon the resumption of regular classes.”

Starting November 2, all public schools are mandated to implement full face-to-face classes, except for those that are expressly provided an exemption by the Regional Director, those whose classes are automatically canceled due to disasters and calamities, and those implementing Alternative Delivery Modes.

Private schools, on the other hand, may continue holding either five-day face-to-face classes, a blended learning modality, or full distance learning for the rest of the academic year.

ACT chairperson Vladimer Quetua said that it is the DepEd’s responsibility as an employer “to provide each of its teachers with the necessary equipment for them to be able to perform their duties.”

“Hindi na nga makapagbigay ng sapat at matinong laptops ang DepEd, ngayon ay babawiin pa ang devices na ginagamit ng mga guro. Dagdag na problema ang ibinibigay nila sa mga guro na mawawalan ng magagamit na devices para maghanda ng leksyon, gumawa ng report at gumampan ng mga online tasks,” he said in a statement.

(DepEd can’t even provide enough and proper laptops, but now they want the devices used by teachers reclaimed. They cause additional problems for teachers who will lose the devices they can use to prepare lessons, make reports, and perform online tasks.) — BM, GMA News