MANILA – On Sunday, June 18, a notable advocacy group demanded the Department of Education (DepEd) take immediate action to rectify its negligence in supplying teachers with the necessary equipment.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines made this appeal in response to the delayed distribution of P53 million worth of gadgets to Cavite teachers, as highlighted by the Commission on Audit (COA).
ACT insists that these oversights are a primary reason why the country continues to grapple with an ongoing learning crisis. “This isn’t the first time that DepEd has failed to meet the teachers’ equipment needs,” commented ACT Chairperson Vladimer Quetua.
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Quetua also pointed out additional negligence and alleged corruption issues regarding DepEd laptops. “Just over a month later, we are hearing news about yet another instance of negligence,” he added.
Citing the COA’s 2022 annual audit report, ACT stated that the significant delay in delivering laptops to teachers in Cavite resulted from the DepEd Division Office’s tardiness in submitting purchase requests and executing other procurement processes.
“This delay has prevented teachers from immediately benefiting from the supplies and equipment that would have assisted them,” Quetua said.
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Quetua lamented that the delay had defeated the purpose of distributing the laptops, given that they “can only be used now when the school year is about to end.”
The COA report revealed that 350 laptops and 4,148 tablets were only put into use by teachers and other intended recipients 12 to 19 months after the target completion of procurement, substantially reducing their benefits.
“The delay of more than a year is quite regrettable, especially considering that teachers could have been utilizing these gadgets during that time,” Quetua noted.
In light of this, ACT once again called on DepEd and the government to ensure that the nation can surmount the learning crisis by guaranteeing that “teachers get what they need.” This includes assurances from DepEd that necessary supplies and equipment will be delivered promptly. Quetua concluded his remarks with this powerful call to action.
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