The national government has launched a dual-track program to eliminate the digital divide in higher education, promising fiber-optic connectivity for all state colleges and universities (SUCs) and free mobile data for students in remote areas.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) formalized the partnership through two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed late last month at the Ilocandia Cultural Center.
Under the “Konektadong CHED” program, the DICT will lead the rollout of high-speed fiber infrastructure across CHED’s central and regional offices, as well as all recognized SUCs and local universities.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda stated that the goal is to equip every institution with at least one-gigabit fiber connectivity before the end of the current administration’s term.
“The President’s instruction is that no Filipino should be left offline,” Aguda said during the signing ceremony.
“Connectivity is a lifeline—for education during normal times, and for health and safety during disasters and pandemics.”
Complementing the infrastructure push is the “Bayanihan SIM” program. This initiative targets the “last-mile” learners—students in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) who lack stable home internet.
Eligible students will receive SIM cards loaded with 25 gigabytes of monthly data to ensure they can access online learning platforms and digital academic resources.
CHED Commissioner Shirley Agrupis emphasized that the digitalization of campuses is no longer a luxury but a requirement for modern academic standards.
“Without strong internet connectivity, our online programs cannot achieve their full potential,” Agrupis said. “This collaboration is essential to transforming higher education into a digital-ready sector.”
The program builds on a similar successful framework previously implemented for basic education.
By aligning with national broadband and cybersecurity strategies, the government aims to create a sustainable digital ecosystem that supports both institutional administration and student-level academic needs.
