THE DEPARTMENT of Information and Communications Technology has installed 90 free wifi sites in public areas, state universities and colleges in Zamboanga peninsula.

It said the undertaking aims to provide assistance to students who shifted to distance learning.

“The initiative is part of the department’s efforts to provide assistance to the education sector in transitioning to the new normal of learning,” it said on a Facebook post.

DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan III said that the internet is vital under the new education setup.

“Your DICT recognizes the importance of the Internet in the continuance of education in the new normal and is aware that, despite this, a lot of our teachers and students still don’t have Internet connectivity within their households—for various reasons,” Honasan said.

School officials expressed  gratitude to the DICT for providing free internet connectivity.

“The Internet connectivity provided by DICT brings huge help for us teachers as well as to non-teaching personnel. Teachers now can have easy access on the different platforms which is now useful for the new normal set-up… As of today, the online platform is now feasible, and students are very happy to learn in a modern way with the use of the Internet provided,” Zamboanga del Norte National High School Principal Adrian Refugio said in a statement.

Students and teachers may visit freepublicwifi.gov.ph for the list of free wifi areas.