Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a bill that seeks to establish a mechanism where elementary and secondary students can have free and uninterrupted acces to digitized copies of textbooks and other learning materials.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, filed Senate Bill No. 477 or the proposed Philippine Online Library Act, in which the Department of Education (DepEd) is mandated to create digitized copies of all textbooks and reference books it deems necessary for the public education of our elementary and secondary learners.
The senator said the proposed Philippine Online Library shall be jointly managed by the DepEd and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
The bill also requires the DepEd and the National Library of the Philippines to have joint custodies over the digitized copies of textbooks.
“While we return to face-to-face classes, our public libraries, one of the country’s pathways to educational resources, should remain pandemic-proof – ubiquitous and accessible – regardless of the geographical location and type of device used by the learners,” Gatchalian said.
To ensure access to digitized copies of textbooks, the bill also require DepEd to provide computers, laptops, and other appropriate devices to all public elementary and secondary schools nationwide.
Meanwhile, the DICT shall provide free, reliable, and secure internet access to all public elementary and secondary schools pursuant to Republic Act No. 10929 or the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act.
“Bahagi ng pagsulong natin sa digital transformation sa sektor ng edukasyon ang ating mga aklatan (As part of our push for digital transformation in the education sector is our libraries),” the lawmaker stressed.
“Sa pamamagitan ng panukala nating Philippine Online Library, hindi lamang natin matitiyak ang pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon, matitiyak din natin na ang ating mga mag-aaral ay magkakaroon ng access sa mga dekalidad na aklat at mga learning materials (Through the proposed Philippine Online Library, we are not only ensuring the continuity of education, but also ensure that our students would have access to quality books and learning materials),” said Gatchalian.