Public school teachers will have some relief from their burdens in online education in the form of subsidized data plans from Smart.
The Department of Education and Smart have reached a deal that will provide data-enabled SIM cards to one million teachers in government learning institutions nationwide. Funds from the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act will cover the costs.
The SIM cards will come preloaded with Smart’s Giga Study plan, allowing teachers to have access to learning and productivity software such as Google Suite, Microsoft 365, Canvas, and YouTube. Handling the monthly load disbursements for the SIM cards will be done by CuroTeknika.
In a press statement, Smart CEO Alfredo said that his company is committed to supporting the right of Filipino students to learn in school, to make sure that no one is left behind.
DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, meanwhile, said this is part of her agency’s fulfillment to provide basic education services amid the pandemic.