Recognizing the importance of providing necessary tools and resources to enhance teaching and learning, the Department of Education (DepEd) is distributing Adobe Creative Cloud (ACC) licenses to its personnel and select Senior High School (SHS) students. (DepEd / MB Visual Content Group)

DepEd made the announcement in department memorandum No. 039 s. 2023 titled “Administration and Utilization of Digital Arts and Multimedia Tools in the Department of Education” signed by Undersecretary for Administration Nolasco Mempin. The distribution of the ACC licenses, DepEd said, is in support of the MATATAG agenda on taking steps to “accelerate” the delivery of basic education services and giving support for teachers to teach better. DepEd also aims to “foster creativity and innovation, and increase productivity and efficiency” with the distribution of ACC licenses. Based on the memorandum, employees in the Central Office (CO); Regional Office (RO) and Schools Division Office (SDO), and all DepEd public schools are eligible to be assigned ACC accounts subject to the limits per administrative unit set in the administration portal. Also eligible are DepEd public school teachers handling Grades 7 to 12 Arts & Design and Animation classes, and Grades 11 and 12 DepEd public school learners currently enrolled in the Arts & Design Track and Animation specialization. “Each license can be used to install applications in two devices but cannot be used simultaneously,” DepEd said. DepEd also identified the administrators in charge of managing the accounts in their respective administrative units which include the Information and Communications Technology Service (ICTS); Regional Information Technology Officers; and Division Information Technology Officers. Administrators, DepEd said, shall receive appropriate training on their roles and responsibilities within the Adobe console, including license assignment procedures and the importance of adhering to them. Meanwhile, DepEd also issued guidelines on the use of the ACC software. “All administrators and users must comply with relevant laws and regulations, including those related to intellectual property, privacy, and security,” DepEd said. DepEd also noted that the ACC software “must only be used for teaching, learning, operations, and governance purposes and must not be used for personal or commercial purposes.” All users were also reminded that they are “responsible for the content they create using ACC and must ensure that it is appropriate.” Moreover, users are also expected to “comply with the license terms and conditions set by Adobe” and “must not share their license with any other person or entity.” DepEd said that the validity of these licenses is until April 5, 2024 unless “revoked by the appropriate administrator.” In cases of noncompliance with license assignment procedures including assigning licenses to unauthorized accounts and individuals or creating unauthorized administrators, DepEd said that the ICTS will provide “written warnings and reminders documenting the noncompliance and shall delete the accounts immediately.”