6,000 schools to get solar panels, computer packages

MANILA, Philippines - Some 6,000 public schools without access to electricity will receive solar panels and computer packages from the government this year, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.

“The innovation in this effort is that the computer package includes a solar panel that will support the provision of electrical energy,” DepEd Undersecretary for administrative service Alain Pascua said.

The computer package includes a laptop and tablets.

“This is the government’s initiative to promote tech-savviness in rural barangays and let them cope with the technological advancement of their counterparts in the urban areas,” said Pascua, who is also in charge of DepEd’s information and communications technology service.

The procurement is underway for the computer packages funded in 2015 with P1.4 billion.

This year, the government allotted another P6 billion to procure 188,000 additional computers for public elementary and secondary schools nationwide.

In addition to the establishment of e-classrooms, DepEd said the program aims to integrate information and communications technology in the classroom system and raise the literacy of learners on new technology.