The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to deliver some 40,000 laptops to teachers, personnel, schools, and field offices nationwide this month to provide essential support to education front-liners for the upcoming school year.

“The provision of internet-capable equipment to DepEd offices, schools, and teachers is great news for the education sector. This would go a long way in our continued implementation of our Basic Education – Learning Continuity Plan and in providing technical support to our field offices nationwide,” Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said in a news release on Thursday.

The procurement of the laptops through the Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (DBM-PS) was made possible by the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (Bayanihan 2), the government’s second stimulus package to combat the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Our direction is to provide laptops for each teacher and our DepEd offices. The Department recognizes that teachers who use their own devices bought these out of their own expense. It is still the responsibility of the state to provide government-issued laptops,” Undersecretary for Administration Alain Del B. Pascua said.

The mandatory recipients for the Division and Regional offices are Implementing Units (UIs), Public Schools District Supervisors (PSDSs), Alternative Learning System (ALS) Mobile Teachers, and Regional and Division Coordinators under the Administration Strand.

The laptops will be delivered by the supplier directly to the Regional Offices. The Regional Supply Officer will then identify the final list of recipients and take charge in releasing the allocated units of the Schools Division Offices.

The names of beneficiaries will later be submitted to the respective regions and divisions by the CO-based concerned offices for reference.

Regional and Schools Division Offices may organize simultaneous unboxing and training of laptop use through online webinars or face-to-face sessions, provided the required health protocols and social distancing are strictly observed. (PNA)