CHIZ: ADDRESS GAPS IN REMOTE LEARNING DUE TO LACK OF INTERNET CONNECTION
With no end in sight yet to the coronavirus pandemic, senatorial candidate and Sorsogon Gov. Chiz Escudero is pushing for better internet service across the country to close some gaps in distance schooling in light of a recent study which confirmed that poor or lack of connectivity had significantly hindered children’s learning ability during the pandemic.
The hard and long lockdowns in the country, considered one of the most stringent in the world by far, following the coronavirus outbreak in the country in March 2020 had prompted the Department of Education (DepEd) to halt in-person classes nationwide and shift to online learning as way to ensure that students and faculty members are safe and protected.
But a recent World Bank report, “Remote Learning During COVID-19: Lessons for Today,” showed that lack of access to the internet and slow connection had adversely affected the education of Filipino schoolchildren, as it noted that nine out 10 pupils cannot read.
This means that the country’s learning poverty is now at a high of 90% by August 2021, from 69.5% before the pandemic, according to World Bank estimates. Distance learning in the Philippines only covered 20% of households with schoolchildren, it added, similar to Ethiopia, the lowest rate.
“Ito na nga ang masakit at hubad na katotohanan ng remote learning na ipinilit ipatupad sa buong bansa kahit sa mga lugar na wala naman o mababa ang kaso ng COVID-19,” Escudero lamented. “Nakaka-alarma na nga ang estado ng edukasyon bago mag-pandemya, tapos nabiktima naman ang ating mga mag-aaral ng magulong pagpapatupad ng distance learning.”
He cited the case of Sorsogon where more than 50% of the barangays are COVID-free, which could have been exempt from the remote learning imposed by the DepEd.
Escudero, a veteran legislator, is calling for massive investments for faster internet speed and wider coverage to make connectivity accessible to more students, as he expects hybrid learning to continue for some time even with the limited face-to-face classes recently implemented by the education department.
“Sa datos ng World Bank, mga 26.9 porsyento lamang ng mga estudyante ang may access sa internet sa bansa. Paano naman ang mahigit na 70 porsyento na wala na ngang gadget, wala na ngang internet at paminsa-minsan ay walang kuryente sa kanilang mga kabahayan? Pababayaan na lamang ba natin silang maging mangmang?” said Escudero, who is seeking a fresh six-year mandate in the coming national elections.
As of January 2021, the country is now in sixth place in mobile internet speed among the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Globally, the country moved up to 86th spot in the mobile internet speed rankings in the same period, a marked improvement from its 111th rank in 2020.
Average download rate in the Philippines improved to 38.12 megabits per second (Mbps) last October from previous month’s 35.03 Mbps, or an 8.82% improvement for mobile internet speed, according to Ookla Speedtest Global Index. However, fixed broadband speed slightly dipped to 71.08 Mbps from 71.85 Mbps during the same period.
“Even as we enter the new normal, expect that distance learning modalities will be here for some time,” Escudero said. “Kaya kailangang mag-invest talaga sa internet connectivity para sa blended future distance learning ng ating mga estudyante. Huwag naman nating iwanan ang mga kabataan,” the former senator said. ###
