1.

1 Background of the Study

Computers have been integral to higher education for over three decades, serving both as a subject of
study and as a tool to aid learning across various disciplines. The emergence of the Internet has further
fueled the demand for online courses, necessitating suitable offerings in diverse fields. Within computer-
utilizing courses, laboratory sessions are pivotal, commonly taking the form of closed or open
environments (Prey, 1996; Lin, Wu & Chiou, 1996). Schools are likely to be particularly concerned about
bringing computers into classroom instruction (Schmid and Petko, 2019), and technological gadgets such
as computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones should be used properly in adolescent education.
However in the Philippines, There are few computer laboratories in public schools in the Philippines due
to a variety of reasons. First, the high cost of equipment and restricted space limit the availability of
computer education in public schools. Additionally, there is a paucity of adequate software and teacher
aversion to incorporating computers into the curriculum. Furthermore, teacher training in computer
education is unusual, as computer science graduates tend to take more lucrative jobs in business or
industry. Furthermore, the implementation of computer-based interventions, such as adaptive
instructional systems, is hampered by limited hardware distribution in schools, limited internet access
for the poorest segments of society, and a curriculum that emphasizes computer literacy skills rather
than using technology to support specific subjects. These barriers make it difficult to implement
computer-based solutions in the Philippine school system (Why There Only Small Amount of Computer
Laboratory in Philippines Public School?, n.d). According to Lorenzo (2016), The Commission on
Information and Communications Technology (CICT) implemented their research findings in Tarlac
Province's Public High Schools, Philippines, working together with selected State Universities and
Colleges. showed that the beneficiary schools encountered problems in carrying out the project. These
issues include hardware failure, difficulty using a software package, a lack of follow-up on capability
development, no available internet connection, limited laboratory access, and a lack of laboratory
equipment repair/maintenance. Despite these issues, teachers assessed the project as highly satisfactory
in terms of project administration, project components, and project delivery method. Rodrigo (2021)
also stated that The poorest parts of society have very limited Internet connection. The curriculum
typically focuses on computer literacy skills and is unable to use information and communication
technology to help specific fields of study. Lastly, teachers lack the necessary preparation and confidence
to employ technology in novel ways. The COVID-19 pandemic-induced study-from-home would have
provided a great chance to optimize the impact of computer-based interventions. This study focuses on
assesing the computer laboratory efficiency used by the senior high school students of Agaman National
High School specially those students who usually used the computers for educational purposes and
specially the students who've taken the ICT Subject.