San Juan expects rise in number of enrollees next year — Zamora

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora shows the laptops and other gadgets to help K-12 students in their online learning during the distribution held at San Juan City Hall. April 28, 2021. 📷:Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — San Juan City is expecting an increase in enrollees in public schools this coming academic year as the local government begins providing free gadgets and internet to students, mayor Francis Zamora said Friday.

Zamora attributed the possible rise in enrollees to transferees from private schools.

“Inaasahan ko po na by the coming school year na tataas po ang aming enrollment, of course, some who have children in the private schools lalong-lalo na yung medyo nahihirapan ngayon na magbayad ng tuition, natural lang talaga na sila ay lumipat sa ating San Juan public schools,” he told reporters.

(I am expecting that by the coming school year we will see an increase in enrollment. Of course some who have children in the private schools, especially those who are struggling to pay for tuition, it is natural for them to transfer to public schools.)

Zamora also said that since the city’s public schools are more equipped than some private institutions when it comes to gadgets and internet, more parents would opt to move their children to public schools.

“Because our San Juan public schools are actually more equipped than some private schools, isipin niyo may libre kang tablet, may libre kang laptop, may libre kang internet connection na hindi naman nabibigay ng private schools, so inaasahan na namin na tataas ang bilang ng mga enrollee nitong padating na school year,” said Zamora.

(Because our San Juan public schools are actually more equipped than some private schools. Think about it, we have free table, laptop, internet connection that private schools cannot provide. So we are expecting an increase in enrollee this coming school year.)

The city on Friday launched its Fiber Optic Internet and Learning Management System (LMS) in partnership with service provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc, benefitting over 12,000 San Juan public school students from more than 6,000 households, according to a statement from the city government.

The launch comes after the distribution of tablets and laptops to public school pupils over the previous weeks, with Zamora saying it will resolve the gadget and internet problems suffered by students across the city.

A total of 12,500 tablets, 1,000 laptops and 1,000 pocket WiFis were turned over to the city government by the Department of Information and Communications Technology.

“Dahil sa ating program, wala na silang kailangang bayaran for their gadgets and their internet connection,” said Zamora.

(Because of our program, parents do not have to pay for gadgets and their internet connection.)

The LMS, on the other hand, is an online education platform that will help transition school activities online, according to Zamora.

“‘Yung learning management system ‘yan naman po ay isang education platform, ibig sabihin ‘yung kanilang mga assignment, exams, lessons, dito na yan sa online platform wala na silang gagamitin na mga papel na mga modules,” the mayor said.

(The learning management system is an education platform, where assignments, exams, and lessons are placed so they do not have to use paper for modules.)

The mayor said that having free gadgets and internet connection was a good preparation for the coming school year.

“Magandang preparation po ito for the coming  school year because this time from start to finish of the school year dito sa San Juan ay gamit na nila ang kanilang gadgets for internet connection,” he said.

(This is a good preparation for the coming school year because this time from start to finish of the school year in SanJuan, students can use their gadgets for internet connection.)

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