SENATE Committee on Basic Education chairman Sherwin Gatchalian on Sunday (14 April 2024) stressed the need to accelerate the digital transformation of the basic education sector, which would also strengthen teachers’ capacity to implement remote learning, as public schools shift to blended learning amid the extreme heat.

“Kailangang paghandaan natin ang posibleng mas mainit pang panahon sa mga susunod na taon lalo na’t patuloy ang climate change at global warming,” said Gatchalian.

He reiterated his push for the Digital Transformation of Basic Education Act or Senate Bill No. 383 which he filed this 19th Congress.

Aside from accelerating the installation, deployment, and activation of free public Wi-Fi in all public basic education institutions, the proposed measure also mandates the Department of Education to push schools to enhance and strengthen their capacity in information and communications technology to implement distance learning.

“Hindi lang sa gitna ng matinding init natin kailangang mapahusay ang digitalisasyon, kailangang tiyakin nating magpapatuloy ang pag-aaral ng mga kabataan sa mga panahong humaharap tayo sa mga sakuna o anumang emergency situation sa bansa,” he added.

The Senate Committee on Basic Education chairperson’s proposed measure also mandates the Department of Science and Technology to assist the DepEd and the Department of Information and Communications Technology on the use of science, technology, and innovation.

This is to improve traditional teaching and learning processes and boost the basic education sector towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Because of extreme heat, the DepEd recently ordered the implementation of asynchronous classes on April 15-16.

The DepEd also reiterated the guidelines under DepEd Order No. 037 series of 2022, which provide that in cases of extreme heat and other calamities, school heads may suspend classes and shift to remote learning.

Other similar bills that Gatchalian filed on digitalizing the basic education sector include the Philippine Online Library Act or Senate Bill No. 477, the Public School Database Act or Senate Bill No. 478, and the One Learner, One Laptop Act or Senate Bill No. 474.