Through the Cisco-CLIC relationship, eight high school instructors from the ARMM and CAAM have successfully completed the Cisco Networking Academy Program’s "IT Essentials" course.

The teachers, whose schools are beneficiaries of the CLIC Program, will comprise the pool of instructors who are now certified to offer the course to fourth year students in their respective high schools.

The CISCOUSAID/CLIC relationship introduces the Cisco Networking Academy Program to Mindanao for the first time. It is a hands-on, labor oriented program which provides skills-training on assembling a computer, installing an operating system, adding peripherals, connecting computers to local area networks and connecting computers to the Internet. The course will help prepare students for the CompTIA’s A+ certification, an internationallyrecognized, entry-level employability credential.

"This project is an excellent example of like-minded partners from the donor community and the private sector coming together and sharing resources for the same goal to help the ICTchallenged citizens in Mindanao in a tangible and sustainable manner," said Emmanuel Lallana, Commissioner for Human Capital Development, Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT).

The program is an integral part of Cisco’s Corporate Social Responsibility Plan designed to help bridge the digital divide in countries the company is serving.

To date, the program has benefited more than 1.6 million students in 10,000 academies across 15 nations worldwide.

With technical support from De La Salle University (DLSU), a Cisco Regional Academy at the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) was established. Instructor-trainers from MSU-IIT conducted the first instructors’ course for the nine teachers coming from schools, which were provided with computers, initial teacher training and Internet Connection through USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program.

"Cisco is very honored to contribute its efforts to enable Mindanao students to dream of a better life, just like their counterparts in the more IT-accessible parts of the country," shared Sandy Walsh, regional manager for the Cisco Networking Academy Program Asia Pacific, Cisco Systems.

Partnerships with companies like Cisco Systems are critical to GEM’s Computer Literacy and Internet Connection (CLIC) Program since it enables USAID to make better use of the funds it has and serves more students.

But more importantly, these partnerships exemplify a model of cooperation between the public sector and the private sector that could be extended and deepened in the Philippines.

CLIC, which is being implemented by the Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, is promoting computer literacy, information technology and internet skills among students and teachers in the ARMM and CAAM.

CLIC’s assistance to schools may include Internet-connected computers, a local area network (LAN), and training on basic computer maintenance and troubleshooting for teachers and Parent Teacher Community Association (PTCA) members.

The eight Cisco "IT Essentials" certified instructors are: Marlon M. Garrigues of Upi Agricultural School (Upi, Maguindanao), Zosimo B. Gomez of Ma. Cristina National High School (Iligan City), Jaymar I. Pael of Maluso National High School (Maluso, Basilan), Hilario C. Abuda of Sulu High School (Jolo, Sulu), Letecia R. Cresmundo of Ayala National High School (Zamboanga City), Andreus J. Hansen of Don Pablo Lorenzo Memorial National High School (Zamboanga City), Alexander D. Lanipa of Vitali National High School (Zamboanga City), and Michael G. Rute of Zamboanga City National High School Main (Zamboanga City).