Teachers slam DepEd on overpriced laptop
Reports emerged on the Commission on Audit (COA) flagging the Department of Education (DepEd) over deficiencies in its funds for 2021, including the purchase of “entry-level” laptops worth P2.4 billion.
Supposedly, DepEd was to purchase 68,500 units but the number was reduced due to the increase in estimated costs. From P35,046.50 per unit, costs went up to P58,300 per laptop.
“The huge difference of P23,253.50 per unit price resulted in a significant decrease by 28,917 laptop computers, purportedly for distribution to intended recipient-teachers which could have helped them in performing their tasks in the blended learning set-up,” the audit body said in its report, adding an estimated 28,917 teachers were “deprived of the possible benefits from the supposed provision of these laptops.”
Initial feedback gathered by COA in the National Capital Region and Cordillera Administrative Region found that the laptops are “too slow because the processor is Intel Celeron which is outdated.”
Several teachers slammed DepEd on the issue. They claimed that they purchased the laptops themselves because they have not received anything from DepEd.
“Lahat kami na teacher dito sa school na tinuturuan namin ay galing sa sariling bulsa ang binili ng laptop. Yung iba sa amin nga na nakadalawang bili na dahil nasira na dahil naover used na sa work, haist!” o teacher said.
“Nasaan yung laptop po? Bumili naman kami ng sarili namin,” another commented.
“Nakakalungkot lang for us teachers na nasa laylayan, nasa school na to the extent we spent our own money to have better classroom, to have a better teaching and learning aids and materials tapos ganito lang mababasa mo,” another teacher said.
“Nakatanggap po ako, natuwa pa ko at napa wow kase Dell ang brand and mukhang bagong-bago. Pagcheck ko naku po, Celeron. Napakabagal. Had to downgrade and uninstall startups dahil kung hindi, hindi mo talaga magagamit,” a teacher said.
Some Filipinos said that DepEd could have purchased an entry-level gaming laptop or a new Macbook air within the P58,000 budget.
