The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte has completed the rollout of smart TVs and interactive panel boards to hundreds of public schools, part of a multi-million peso effort aimed at modernizing classrooms across the province.

According to the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN), a total of 321 elementary schools and 61 secondary schools under the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte (SDOIN) received the equipment. The distribution includes both smart televisions and smart interactive panel boards intended to support digital and more interactive teaching methods.

Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos said the initiative was funded through the Special Education Fund (SEF), which had been approved by the provincial school board. She described the project as part of the province’s continuing push to improve the quality of education.

Data from the Provincial Education Office (PeDO) showed that 160 smart TVs and 382 smart interactive panel boards were procured and distributed. The total cost of the project reached P74.6 million, all sourced from the SEF.

Officials said the rollout was conducted in phases. Earlier distributions in February covered 99 elementary schools and 12 secondary schools. The latest batch included 222 elementary schools and 49 secondary schools, completing the province-wide allocation.

While local officials framed the initiative as a step toward improving learning conditions, questions remain on how effectively the new equipment will be integrated into daily instruction, particularly in schools that may face challenges such as limited internet connectivity, teacher training gaps, and maintenance capacity.

Education stakeholders have long pointed out that investments in technology need to be matched with sustained support systems to ensure that such tools translate into measurable learning outcomes.