Senator says less than 2% of public schools have free public Wi-Fi
MANILA, Philippines — A senator sounded the alarm on the recent finding that only 1.8% of public schools nationwide have access to free public Wi-Fi based on the Department of Information and Communications Technology's Free Wi-Fi for All dashboard.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian flagged this during his interpellation of the proposed 2023 budget of the DICT, pointing out that the discovery comes five years after the enactment of Republic Act 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, urged the department to ensure that it would hit its target in rolling out internet connection in public places, including educational institutions.
“Our learners are the ones who will greatly benefit from this because it will improve the flow of information, especially for our poorest constituents,” said Gatchalian.
Based on data gathered from the Free Public Wi-Fi Dashboard, only 860 public schools or 1.8% of the country’s 47,421 public schools have free public Wi-Fi as of September 2, 2022, the senator said.
Of note, figures from the dashboard also showed that the number of public schools has been dwindling since October 2021 when there were only 1,190 (2.5%) public schools with free public Wi-Fi. This decreased to 945 (2%) by January of this year.
The senator said this was an example of the COVID-19 pandemic emphasizing the country’s "digital divide, especially as the shift to distance learning pointed to the need for accessible and reliable internet connection."
According to a 2021 survey by the World Bank on low-income households, only 40% have access to the internet. The same survey also revealed that 95.5% of these households used paper-based learning modules and materials.
Under the proposed 2023 national budget, P2.5 billion was earmarked for the implementation of RA 10929.
Earlier this year, Gatchalian filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 59, which seeks a Senate review on the implementation of RA 10650 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act and the Open Distance Learning Act.
The law was enacted to provide free internet access to internet service in public places nationwide and aims to provide free Wi-Fi internet access in public basic education institutions, alternative learning system centers, State universities and colleges, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority technology institutions.
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