Robredo: DepEd plan for internet learning ‘unrealistic’

Published June 6, 2020, 10:27 PM

Vice President Leni Robredo is hoping that the plans of the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement a blended learning system this upcoming school year “will not be discriminatory” to the marginalized sectors, particularly the poor.

This came as she observed that the initial suggestions made by the education department to conduct online classes cannot be “realistic,” considering that some areas in the country have no access to the internet.

“I actually listened to Sec. [Leonor] Briones when she was discussing her suggestions. Totoo na ‘yung online learning is the next destiny, pero ‘yung reality kasi ang daming walang access to the internet (It’s true that online learning is the next destiny, but the reality is many do not have access to the internet),” Robredo said in an online news interview on Saturday (June 6).

“After that press conference, marami naman siyang sinabing maayos, pero may mga bagay kasi siyang sinabi na hindi realistic (She said a lot of good things, but there were things she said that are not realistic),” she added.

Robredo praised DepEd’s idea to tap television and radio stations to bring educational material to those who do not have, or have limited, internet access. However, she questioned how it could be done.

“Pero (But) it’s not as easy as that. Halimbawa, sa distrito ko — I was the representative of the third district of Camarines Sur before — sa distrito ko lang, medyo sentro na ito ha, pero there are several barangays na wala talagang signal. May nakakarating lang sa kanilang TV ay ABS-CBN na wala pa ngayon. Wala naman silang signal sa telepono, definitely walang internet,” she said, adding “‘Yung sa radyo, paano siya gagawin?”

[For example, when I was a representative, in my district, which was in the center of the province, there were several barangays that had no signal at all. The only TV station that reached them was ABS-CBN, which is now shut down. They even did not have phone signal, and definitely no internet. Regarding radio, how would it be done?]

The vice president also expressed her hope that before the national government releases its suggestions to the public, it should come up with a definite plan so as not to create confusion.

“Pero sa akin kasi, sana kung suggestions pa lang, wag munang ina-announce kasi…mas maraming nalito kung ano ‘yung mangyayari. Sana pag-usapan muna ninyo tapos kung ano ‘yung desisyon, ‘yun ang i-communicate to the public (For me, if it’s just a suggestion, don’t make any announcements about it because a lot of people get confused. I hope that you discuss it first, then whatever the decision is, that is what you communicate to the public),” she said.

SOURCE: https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/06/06/robredo-deped-plan-for-internet-learning-unrealistic/