DICT is looking for possibilities to use internet cafes for the ‘new normal’
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is eyeing the use of internet cafes as digital classrooms and workplaces in order to adapt to the new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amid the crisis, schools and workplaces were greatly affected. Some employers and employees have resorted to work from home in order to continue their operations. On the other hand, it is quite difficult for students to adapt to home schooling since not everyone has internet access.
In line with this, during the recent online hearing of House’s Defeat COVID-19 Committee (DCC) New Normal Cluster, DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. said that establishments that are offering the use of internet services can be used to address the concern of those who have no internet connections at home.
“Kung bubukas ang klase sa August, we have to put free WiFi hotspots sa schools so that ‘yung papasok lang muna ay ‘yung teachers and a few students para mayroong social distancing,” the DICT undersecretary said.
For the problem of those who have no internet connection at home, Rio said that they are fast-tracking regarding the digital classrooms. “In fact, we are repurposing ‘yung mga thousands of internet cafes. They can be reconfigured to become digital classrooms and digital workplaces,” he stated.
He added that since that it will be impossible to install internet connection to every home immediately, providing internet to the community can address this problem.
“Kunektahan muna natin itong mga community—digital classrooms at mga digital workplaces—para pwede na pong lakarin ng mga nearby sa community na ‘yan,” Rio said.
The DICT Undersecretary also said that it will be cheaper for students and workers to use these repurposed internet cafes and the department is aiming to start this project as soon as possible, based on the report from Inquirer.
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