A major government program to expand Information and Communications Technology (ICT) education has been formally launched, utilizing existing and new private-sector partnerships to elevate and standardize instructional content and delivery in the country’s public high schools.
The program is supported by Mirant Philippines Foundation and The Coca- Cola Company. In its pilot phase where the program’s various components will be fine-tuned, 10 fully equipped and Internet-connected computer laboratories called "Coca-Cola ed.venture centers’’ will be exclusively utilized. These computer labs have been set up in public schools, mainly in the Visayas region, over the past few years.
The launching ceremony for the government program was held at the Department of Education, with Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, Mirant Philippines Foundation executive director Roberto Calingo, The Coca-Cola Company Philippines Division president Alex von Behr and senior presidential adviser on global competitiveness Secretary Roberto Romulo signing a memorandum of agreement.
Secretary Romulo is chair of the non-governmental Foundation for Information Technology Education and Development (FIT-ED), which will provide technical expertise for infrastructure requirements, facilitate the training component for schoolteachers and administrators, and oversee the program’s general operations.
The program expands existing government programs on ICT education to all four high school year levels, with course software to be developed in Math, Science, English, Filipino and Social Studies.
Software in these fields will be specifically designed by the National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education, the Department of Education and the University of the Philippines-Open University.
After the pilot phase, the program will be implemented in public schools by stages with priority on those with existing computer facilities, although schools with none will nonetheless receive supplementary training materials.
"In 2001, in response to local calls to help bridge the digital divide, The Coca-Cola Company launched a pan-Asian youth ICT education program which, in the Philippines, we call Coca-Cola ed.venture,’’ said The Coca-Cola Company Philippines Division president Alex von Behr. "We are now broadening our concept of providing ICT learning opportunities from building computer facilities to software, which will benefit even more teachers and students.’’
Mirant Philippines Foundation and The Coca-Cola Company have each committed
R23 million to the government program over a period of four years. Mirant Philippines is a new partner in the government program.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a vocal proponent of ICT education, hosted the launch of Coca-Cola ed.venture program in Malacañang in April, 2001. Since then, 15 "Coca-Cola ed.venture centers,’’ have been built in public high schools selected by FIT-ED in coordination with the Department of Education.
"The government, through the Department of Education, has taken a major step in ensuring that Filipino students know how to use information and communications technology appropriately and responsibly,’’ said Mirant Philippines Foundation executive director Robert Calingo. "We are delighted to support this initiative and look forward to an exciting partnership.’’
"We welcome Mirant into our team,’’ said FIT-ED chair Secretary Roberto Romulo. "Together with the Department of Education and Coca-Cola, our strengthened resources will make us that much more effective in our aim of having ICT-enhanced public high schools all over the country.’’
