THE Angeles City Government will provide 55,000 tablets to 53 public schools throughout the city for the use of students.
Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. said this is for underprivileged public students from grades 4 to 12 to ensure that no one is left behind when it comes to education amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) crisis.
There are 40 elementary public schools and 13 public high schools in the city, he added.
The mayor's Chief Adviser and Tactician IC Calaguas clarified that the tablets "will not be doled-out to the students."
Basically, she said, Lazatin wants it to be used exclusively for educational purposes. The tablets will be issued to public schools and will be "loaned to students."
"At the end of the school year, students need to give it back to the school para magamit nila ulit sa susunod na school year kung kailangan," Calaguas said.
Lazatin allotted P150 million under the Special Education Fund (SEF) surplus for the procurement of the tablets.
For the year 2020, the city has recorded an overcollection of P5 million for its SEF that will be utilized for one-month free internet subscription for the use of the students.
Lazatin sought the support of local internet service providers to give high-quality internet access to public school students.
Lazatin tasked the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Angeles City to survey the number of households of the public school students.
This will help disadvantaged students to continue their education at home once the national government decides to shift to online class learning, Lazatin said.
"As we face this health crisis, we have to ensure that students, especially those struggling financially, will have adequate resources for home-based learning," he added.
Lazatin earlier made a statement that the City Government will promote digital education to students in public schools.
"The tablets that will be purchased will be exclusively for learning," Lazatin said.
DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said the opening of classes will be on August 24. However, it will be "non-face-to-face interaction" until there is no available vaccine yet for Covid-19.
"Kung ano po ang regulasyon ng ating pamahalaan, susunod po tayo, pero sisiguraduhin po natin na susuportahan natin ang ating mga mag-aaral at ang kanilang mga magulang sa abot ng ating makakaya. The city government is here to assist them," Lazatin said. (PR)