MANILA, June 30 — the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Friday launched its first Mobile Technology for Education (Tech4ED) center in the National Capital Region.
The launching of the facility took place at Barangay Sta. Teresita in Quezon City.
Tech4ED Assistant Project Manager Engr. Amelia S. Dean said the event, with the theme, “Celebrating Milestones 1.19.1500” refers to the celebration of the first anniversary of the Tech4ED program, the 19th ICT month and 1,500 Tech4ED centers established nationwide.
Launched in 2016, the Tech4Ed program aims to promote digital literacy through its centers which offer free Internet usage and skills training in a bid to provide digital employment opportunities to all.
During the event, the DICT also signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Bagong Henerasyon (BH) Partylist and Calata Corporation.
The agreement seeks to foster partnership between the parties on the utilization of the Mobile Tech4ED Center, which will be moving around the six districts of Quezon City to conduct digital literacy training to sectors with special needs.
“It was heartbreaking for me to go around the barangays, seeing that public schools do not have computer laboratories.” BH Partylist Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy said in her speech at the event.
“So I told my myself once I win a seat in the city council, I will put up a computer center with free computer training.” she added.
DICT’s partnership with PCW, meanwhile, aims to advance trainings relevant to women’s entrepreneurship, ICT and development of entrepreneurship content materials for Tech4ED centers.
Calata Corporation representative Julius Calata also hoped that the agreement will help facilitate the availability of agriculture and fisheries-related contents to farmers.
“Alam naman nating mga farmers ngayon matatanda na diba. So basically wala silang alam sa (technology) di ba ngayon. Sa tulong ng Tech4ED, matutulungan natin ‘yung mga farmers matuto gumamit ng KROPS since meron silang mga outpost sa province, maglalagay kami ng mga tao dun para turuan silang mag KROPS. At the same time, may produkto sila,iregister nila, mabilis na,” Calata said.
KROPS is a mobile app developed by Calata Corporation which serves as an online market for agricultural products.
The DICT also announced the launching the National Tech4ED Awards 2017 in search for the year’s Outstanding Tech4ED Centers and Emerging Tech4ED Centers that recognize exemplary performances in terms of improving a community’s way of life through the efficient delivery of basic and innovative services. (Paula May Cabili (OJT)/PNA)
