DepEd urges parents to delay buying of gadgets for kids’ schooling

The Department of Education is urging parents to delay the purchase of gadgets to be used by children for their schooling as the department is preparing specifications for learning devices.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the DepEd would release a list of specifications that parents should look for when buying gadgets for schoolchildren.

“Delay sana yung parents (If the parents could delay the purchase of gadgets),” Briones said in an interview with CNN Philippines on Wednesday.

“Ang DepEd magpalabas ng standards within this week,” she added.

(DepEd will release standards within the week.)

Briones said she hopes that parents will buy gadgets that would comply with the standards to be set by DepEd.

“Gusto natin yung nagko-comply sa standards ng DepEd at yung capacity makaka-absorb, makaka-record, kung ano-ano mga functions na naiha-handle,” she said.

(We want gadgets that would comply with DepEd standards and have the capacity to absorb, record, and do the necessary functions for schooling.)

Sales of laptops have seen an increase in recent months as the Philippines shifted to online education and work.

For the upcoming school year, DepEd said it would employ ‘blended learning,’ which would combine printed modules and online instruction. Radio and television will also be used to educate students, Briones said.

Briones added that DepEd welcomes donations of gadgets for schooling “as long as they are up to standards.”

DepEd earlier said it expects to have 475,650 tablets, and 634,877 desktop computers for 21.4 million public school students.

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