Jamayka Rhose Pascual

The Department of Education (DepEd) aims to close the digital divide in public schools by distributing more than 62,000 laptops and smart TV packages nationwide.

Photo Courtesy of Department of Education.

The current teacher-to-laptop ratio remains high at 1:30, urging educators to rely on personal resources for online teaching and digital lesson planning.

With a budget of P1.8 billion, this initiative is expected to benefit schools across 16 regions, with distribution beginning in the latter half of the year.

This effort is part of the DepEd Computerization Program, a longstanding project designed to modernize classrooms and provide needed digital access for both teachers and students.

Despite this development, concerns mount on the sufficiency of the rollout in addressing the long-standing technological gaps in public education.

In 2023, DepEd faced scrutiny for failing to distribute almost 20,000 laptops worth P9.17 billion, highlighting ongoing procurement and logistical challenges.

Despite a recent budget hearing, lawmakers questioned why only P2.075 billion of the P11.36 billion allocation for ICT procurement last year had been used.

According to Batangas Representative Gerville Luistro, DepEd’s prioritization should focus on the urgent demand for digital learning tools in classrooms instead, urging DepEd to ensure transparency and accountability.

“That is almost saying impossible to facilitate an e-learning system having one computer for 30 teachers. I believe, madam chair, this validates the reason why the DepEd in 2023 requested and lobbied for an allocation amounting to P11.361 billion…So, why is it that with the intensified need for ICT packages, madam chair, out of P11 billion allocation, why P2.075 billion was only disbursed?,” Luistro argued.

While the upcoming distribution is a step forward, it falls short of the original target of 800,000 laptops and smart TVs for 2025, which was reduced due to a P10-billion budget cut.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara then emphasized that the DepEd is now collaborating with the Department of Finance to sure additional funding.

“This year, our computerization programs will continue with the help of President Bongbong and my fellow cabinet members. Our goal is for each school to have an ‘e-cart’ or roving computer lab that all students can use. Additionally, we are providing various software tools to support our teachers,” Angara stated.

To prevent delays, Angara has also implemented early procurement activities to facilitate the timely delivery of ICT resources to schools.

Regions IV-A (CALABARZON), VI (Western Visayas), and VII (Eastern Visayas) will receive the largest allocations of digital equipment based on the assessed needs.

In addition to supporting teachers, the laptops are expected to improve students' learning assessments by helping them become familiar with online platforms, refine their technological navigation skills, and enhance their problem-solving abilities.