DepED steps up public awareness on computerization program

The Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Philippine National Police (PNP), intensified on Friday the public’s awareness about the agency’s computerization program. (Photo by Andrew_Writer/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Philippine National Police (PNP), intensified on Friday the public’s awareness about the agency’s computerization program.

In a press conference at Juan Sumulong High School, education officials inspected and launched the new set of computer packages that they will deploy to public schools starting this school year.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said many people think that there is a big difference between public schools and private schools because of lack of technology in the former.

“Ngayon (Now) we are bridging that kind of thinking because right now many of our public schools are really excelling in the same manner that private schools are maintaining their standards,” Briones said.

For his part, Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del Pascua said DepED Computerization Program (DCP) aims to provide public schools with appropriate information and communications technologies that would improve the teaching and learning of teachers and students.

Del Pascua said that around 14, 289, 301 public school learners and 451,118 public school teachers will benefit from DCP.

DepEd’s 2018 budget for DCP is PHP8,647,589,756.

“For 2019, we’re proposing a similar budget or around like that because we have a major process for computerization,” Del Pascua said.

He said all the DCP equipment are usual targets of theft so DepEd is appealing to the public to help them in securing the computers.

DepEd has come up with new theft and fencing countermeasures to deter pilferage of the computers.

Del Pascua explained that they changed the color of the computers and laptops to light blue on top of the DepEd logo for quick identification that they are government properties.

“For this year, we have IT officers and teachers who will take care of the monitoring process. Later on, next year, we’re looking into electronic monitoring meaning we can determine where the computers are. The moment they turn on the computer we can detect where it is which is part of the new specs…chips,” he said.

PNP Director for Community Relations Eduardo Serapio Garado said there are other measures which DepEd can implement to deter theft.

Garado said schools’ computer laboratories must have window railings and security guards to avoid break-ins.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Malaya, DILG Assistant Secretary for Communications and Capacity Development, said they will be encouraging the local government units (LGUs) to support DepEd in securing all the DCP equipment.

“In particular, we will be issuing a memorandum circular to all the local government officials to support the recipient elementary and high schools for them to provide security guards. The LGUs have authority, also the CCTV, we request the LGUs in the entire country to replicate the security here in Quezon City for schools,” Malaya said.