Some 4,750 senior high school (SHS) students here will receive tablet computers from the city government in the next school year to allow them to shift to the online learning mode.

Mayor Eliordo Ogena said Wednesday they already received the first batch of 1,600 Lenovo Tab M8 Android tablets purchased by the local government for SHS students of eight public schools in the city.

He said they are waiting for the delivery of 3,150 more tablets, which will be distributed in time for the opening of school year 2021-2022.

“These will help our students in their online classes and in accessing the Internet to get additional information for their studies,” Ogena said in a statement.

The mayor said the purchase of the tablet computers is part of the local government’s initiatives to advance the capability of students and other residents in terms of digital technology.

The Lenovo Tab M8, which is sold at PHP6,990 and above, is an eight-inch booklet tablet that is equipped with basic to advanced computing functions. It can connect to the Internet via wi-fi and data through available mobile networks.

Ogena said they are also working on buying more tablets that will be also distributed before the start of the next school year to all public school teachers in the city.

Last year, the city government also distributed Internet broadband devices and printers to teachers to help them cope with the alternative learning modes adopted by the Department of Education amid the Covid-19 pandemic. (PNA)