The General Parents and Teachers Association (GPTA) provided financially- challenged students with gadgets, wifi modem, and weekly load to help them cope with the challenges of online learning this school year.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face classes were canceled this school year. The Department of Education came up with the new normal in education which includes online classes and modular learning. However, there are students who cannot attend online classes because they do not have gadgets, WI-FI, or load. The GPTA had a fundraising, which is the Modified Voluntary Contribution, to be able to provide students who cannot afford online learning with online assistance.
The online learning assistance project is called Online Saya, Gadget/Load Mo Andito Na. So far, the GPTA has given five units of Smart Home Wi-Fi, six units of Globe Home Wi-Fi, two second-hand laptops, two brand-new Oppo cell phones, four assembled desktops, and twenty brand new Cherry Mobile Flare Tab V2 tablets. Additionally, sixteen students are currently receiving a weekly load. The gadgets and internet are used for the online classes that will hopefully help students access quality education.
The GPTA received more than 70 requests for online assistance. With these numerous requests, a screening process was put in place to determine who needed assistance the most. The class advisers first processed these requests, then forwarded them to the guidance counselor. From there, the GPTA Vice President External and Project Head Pia Busiños called the applicants to ascertain their needs. According to Arnold Mallari, president of the GPTA, the most challenging part of the project was to determine if the applicants were qualified to receive the gadgets or load. However, even with these challenges Mr. Mallari says, “We are happy to help the students with their learning during this pandemic.”
The online learning system that is currently used by the school is made possible by the 125,000-Pesos funding from the previous school year’s GPTA.
