DepEd Receives Computer Equipment from BPOs

Seven schools in Cebu received the initial batch of computer units from the business process outsourcing (BPO) companies based here in this city.

This is part of the Malasakit Tech2Teach program which provides computer units to public schools in far-flung areas to help implement the Department of Education (DepEd) computer education program.

According to Engr. Roberto Varquez, consultant of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV), these schools were pre-identified by DepEd.

He said this initiative came up after they learned that the BPO companies change their computer units from time to time and it ended up being unused.

“We found it sayang. Workable pa ang units. OPAV thought of utilizing this,” he told reporters in an interview.

DepEd has identified the end-users as those that are in Grade levels 4, 5, and 6 since computerization program of the department is limited only to high school.

Varquez revealed that elementary schools are only provided with six computer units for their use.

The seven schools in Central Visayas are among the 20 schools initially identified by OPAV to become recipients.

Varquez said they intend to give 1,000 units for the first phase and another 1,000 units for the following year.

On Monday afternoon, the DepEd Central Visayas Regional Director Juliet Jeruta received the initial computer units from companies Tech Mahindra, Qualfon, and Accenture in a ceremonial turnover done in the presence of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Cabinet officials including DepEd Sec. Leonor Briones.