The Philippine Railways Institute (PRI) has introduced an online learning platform to educate railway operators and maintenance providers even with the limitations brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Transportation Undersecretary Anneli Lontoc explained the Learning Management System (LMS) is an online, self-paced learning platform conducted through the Web Refresher Training (WRT) Course.
In a nutshell, the LMS allows the PRI to administer, deliver, track, and automate its training courses in just one platform.
“I am delighted that, in keeping with the times, the PRI is now able to provide remote learning sustainably during, and even beyond, this pandemic. PRI is now part of a growing number of institutes and organizations that have adopted this kind of learning platform,” Lontoc said.
So far, 30 railway personnel and 15 graduating students participated in the first LMS-delivered training course.
Before the pandemic, the railway institute conducts its training courses on an in person basis. Lontoc said that the pandemic has forced the PRI to innovate in order to adapt to the limitations set to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“This is again a great next step in PRI’s learning strategy that will have a positive impact on learning across the railways sector,” Lontoc said.
PRI allows graduating college students with railways-relevant background, returning overseas Filipino workers with railway experience, and existing railway workers to enroll.
Created through a P308.54-million grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), the PRI serves as the planning, implementing, regulating, and administrative entity for the development of human resources in the railway sector.