MANILA— Public schools in San Juan City received Wednesday thousands of laptops, tablets and pocket WiFi devices that students can use for distance education as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora led the turnover of 12,500 tablets, 1,000 laptops and 1,000 pocket WiFi devices from the city government and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to principals and representatives of 13 public schools.

LOOK: DICT, San Juan City government complete turnover of tablets, laptops, pocket WiFi to public school students in the city (📷 Rolly Roque, ABS-CBN News) @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/JG1ts7w6Re

— Bianca Dava 🐈‍⬛😺🐈 (@biancadava) April 28, 2021

Zamora said the laptops and WiFi devices would go to students in Grades 3 to 6 at the Pinaglabanan Elementary School as part of the DICT's Digital Education program.

Last year, public school teachers in San Juan received laptops from the city government.

The country's education system shifted to distance learning — where students learn from their homes via modules, online classes, and education programs aired over TV and radio — after government prohibited in-person classes due to the threat of the new coronavirus.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones has said she was pushing for the country's education system to move towards online or technology-mediated learning because Filipino students may be left behind in global competitiveness.

The Department of Education and DICT earlier allowed the construction of common towers in public schools, which are seen to expand connectivity in underserved areas and help telcos save on expenses.

• DepEd partners with firms for use of fiber connectivity, cable channels
• DICT, DepEd allow common telco towers in public schools

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