ANTIQUE Rep. Loren Legarda filed a measure that will institutionalize the “one tablet, one student” program in public schools and state universities and colleges.

In filing House Bill 10405 or the proposed One Tablet, One Student Act of 2021, Legarda stressed that distance or online learning requires both a stable internet connection and a reliable gadget which is more challenging to financially distressed students.

The measure aims to provide each public elementary and secondary student as well as students enrolled in SUCs a tablet.

Meanwhile, students who already have their own personal learning gadgets shall be given educational assistance in the form of an internet allowance to cover the cost of connectivity.

Based on the bill, P200 billion will be appropriated for the National Treasury for the initial implementation of the program.

The former senator further said that despite the effort of the LGUs, the private sector and other concerned parties to provide tablets for all students, there is still an overwhelming number of students who do not have gadgets.

She added that in extreme cases, this has posed even more serious problems on students’ mental health.

“With almost 27 million elementary and high school students and approximately 1.6 million students enrolled in SUCs and local universities and Colleges in the current academic year, there is an immediate need to greatly help students adapt to the online mode of learning amid the ongoing Covid19 pandemic,” Legarda said.

“We must make sure that our budget, especially amid this ongoing pandemic, is able to cater to our children’s educational needs. This may not be enough, but I believe that this is a good start,” she added.