NI NOEL ABUEL
Inihain sa Kamara ang panukalang batas na naglalayong itatag ang Philippine Online Library na maglalaman ng digitized na kopya ng lahat ng mga textbook at mga sangguniang aklat na kailangan para sa pampublikong edukasyon ng elementarya at sekondaryang mga mag-aaral.
Sa House Bill no. 1582 o ang Philippine Online Library Act na inihain nina TINGOG party-list Rep. Yedda Marie K. Romualdez at Rep. Jude A. Acidre, ang Department of Education (DepEd) at ang Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) ang magma-manage ng Online Library.
“This bill seeks to establish the Philippine Online Library and mandate the digitizing of all textbooks necessary for the public education of elementary and secondary students to ensure access to and availability of learning materials and references,” sabi nia Romualdez and Acidre sa panukala na nakahain sa House Committee on Basic Education and Culture.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has manifested the significance of digital technology, especially in the lives of children, serving as an important tool for their education, socialization, expression, and inclusion. Schools shifted to online learning and offices and workplaces moved to remote work,” dagdag ng mga ito.
“Thus, digitizing textbooks and references and the creation of this online library will match the pace of the emerging technologies. This will enable the students to have an enhanced learning experience, ensure that they are skilled in using computers, and have an equal access to the increasingly digitized world,” anila pa.
Nakapaloob sa Section 4 na nag-aatas sa DepEd na tiyakin ang access sa mga digitized na kopya ng mga textbook sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay ng mga computer, laptop, o naaangkop na gamit sa lahat ng elementarya at sekondaryang pampublikong paaralan sa buong bansa.
Anila, upang matiyak ang access sa mga digitized na kopya ng mga textbook, ang DICT ay dapat magbigay ng mabilis at maaasahang internet access sa bawat elementarya at sekondaryang pampublikong paaralan.
“In order to offset expenses related to the procurement of computers, laptops, or appropriate wherewithal necessary for the immediate execution of the provisions of this Act, national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, and other government financial institutions which shall procure new computers shall endorse their old units to the Department of Information and Communications Technology to check if the computers can still be used for the intent of this Act and afterwards shall be given to the Department of Education for deployment to primary and secondary public schools nationwide,” ayon sa panukala.
Sina Rep. Romualdez at Acidre ay nagmungkahi ng paunang P500 milyon na pondo para sa programa, habang ang taunang P100 milyon ay iminungkahi na isama sa taunang badyet ng DepEd upang matiyak na ang kagamitan at internet connection ng mga pampublikong paaralan para sa layunin ng panukala ay magiging pinananatili.
OnlineBalita news 