DepEd’s 2023 Budget Woes: Where Did the Billions Go?
A Look into the 2023 ICT Budget Utilization in DepEd: Addressing the Gaps In a recent congressional hearing, critical questions were raised about the Department of Education’s (DepEd) utilization of its 2023 budget, particularly regarding the procurement and distribution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment to schools. The discussion highlighted significant delays and inefficiencies in the allocation of funds intended to improve the country's educational infrastructure. Current Teacher and Student Computer Ratios The hearing began with a query from Congresswoman Gerville Luistro about the current ratio of computers to students and teachers for the year 2023. According to Director Abram Abanil Pitagan, the ratio stands at one computer for every nine students, while for teachers, it is a staggering one computer for every 30 teachers. This data underscores the challenges in facilitating effective e-learning environments, especially given the critical role of