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San Juan launches free fiber Internet
Duterte said she is hoping that all public schools in the country should have Internet connection and all learners have tablets to be used for their online learning.
The local government of San Juan City on Tuesday launched its free fiber optic Internet connection and installs smart TVs in all public schools in the city with no less than Vice President Sara Z. Duterte gracing the event.
The Vice President — who is also the secretary of the Department of Education — was invited by Mayor Francis Zamora to inspect the city's free fiber optic Internet connection and smart TVs in the classrooms at Pinaglabanan Elementary School.
Duterte said she is hoping that all public schools in the country should have Internet connection and all learners have tablets to be used for their online learning.
"I said that is the dream of the Department of Education for all our schools," Duterte told reporters in an interview.
"But right now our direction is mix. There are schools that do not have Internet connection because there is no capacity in their area, there is no signal, and there is no infrastructure, so our direction is divided. We have both online and offline learning so that we can serve all the situations in our schools," she added.
Meantime, Zamora stressed that as part of the city government's Smart City program, they wanted to fully implement digital education in all public schools in the city by providing free WiFi and Internet connection and digital learning devices such as laptops and tablets to teachers and students.
"In fact, the tablets are one is to one here in San Juan. Laptops are also one is to one for our teachers. We also have smart TVs in all our classrooms. It is no longer necessary to use cardboard, manila paper or blackboard," Zamora said in a separate interview.
"We also hope that we will be a good example to other local government units. If San Juan can make it even if we are a small city with a small budget, other cities can do it too," he added.