Government urged to improve internet connectivity in schools

MANILA, Philippines — A consumer advocacy group is calling on the government to collaborate with the private sector to improve broadband connectivity to transform the quality of education and catch up with the digital world.

“Another academic year is starting and alongside the usual issues of congested classrooms, poor infrastructure and inadequate facilities, digital readiness –non-readiness, in fact – has become a glaring issue in Philippine schools. We need to act fast on this,” said CitizenWatch Philippines co-convenor lawyer Tim Abejo.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, in a recent public hearing, pointed out that according to DICT data as of September 2022, only 1.8 percent of 47,421 public schools nationwide had access to free Wi-Fi, with the quality and speed of connections varying significantly.

“Those in urban areas have a distinct advantage while students in the rural areas lack reliable internet connection, if they have it in the first place,” Abejo said.

Meanwhile, the approximately 14,000 private schools have a higher percentage of connectivity, with 85 percent having internet access due to better funding and resources, enabling them to invest in the necessary infrastructure and technologies.

“Ultimately, we want all our learners, whether in public or private schools, to have the same access to the world’s wealth of rich educational content and knowledge now available because of the internet,” Abejo said.

“There is no argument that all our schools need internet access at broadband speeds,” Abejo said. Through it, students can access educational materials like books, articles, videos, journals and e- learning modules. “Access to the immersive and interactive format of e-learning content is a game-changing opportunity that will enrich the traditional classroom method of delivering the K-12 curriculum.”