REALIZING the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in every facets of human life nowadays, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched the Technology for Economic Development (Tech4ED) project to give equal opportunities to all people from the cities down to the countryside to avail of free educational services and skills training.
The DOST connects with different private and public institutions such as the Local Government Units, public libraries, and schools among others to disseminate information and provide access on the Tech4ED project which offers different e-learning services in various topics and free skills training as well, DOST-ICTO Deputy Executive Director Beatrice Quimson explained during the Kapihansa PIA on Friday.
In Davao City, the ICT office of the DOST has also coordinated with the Internet Café Association in Davao (ICAD) to establish centers where people can access the program. As of its launching, there are a total of 36 internet cafes which were registered for the Tech4ED program in Davao City, ICAD President Alexis Bangayan said.
The program can be access with the use of the internet but only at the centers which registered for the Tech4ED program, Quimson said.
Though the content of the program is free for all, Bangayan said that those who wish to use the program will have to pay P8 per hour for the facilities to be used which is a very cheap amount.
With the use of the program, Quimson said that people can go to work with Tech4ed and use it to earn money.
ICT Office Cluster Director Alimbzar Asum also said during the media conference that the people who do not have the capacity to enroll in a formal school will be given a chance to learn through the program and avail of some skills training.
There are already 7,000 people using the platform based on the 194 centers they had set up last years, Quimson said.
Quimson said that they are also working on an offline version of the Tech4ED so that those who do not have an internet connection will be able to use the program.