Monday, September 24, 2007 DepEd saddened by cancellation of Cyber-Education program By Jerome S. Galunan Jr.
LOCAL officials of the Department of Education in Bacolod and Negros were saddened by reports that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also ordered the suspension of DepEd’s Cyber Education program.
The President’s order was caused by the recent brouhaha on the broadband deal involving her husband, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, and House Speaker Jose De Venecia’s son, Joey.
Cyber Education was only launched several weeks ago. It aimed at helping public schools achieve quality education through an educational reform system.
In an interview, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said he was saddened by the President’s order on the Cyber Education program.
Lapus, however, believed the project was a casualty of the ZTE Broadband controversy.
“That is why it was included in the suspension,” he added.
He further said that the suspension of the implementation of the project will affect their educational program to reform the educational system in the countryside.
Meanwhile, DepEd Regional Director Victoriano Tirol Jr. told Sun.Star that he supports the cyber education project but he also respects the decision of the President.
Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, meanwhile, said there are many questions left unanswered with the cyber project.
He said it’s better to suspend or cancel it and have the project implemented in the future.
According to Deped, the children cannot afford to wait any longer for solutions that can be felt not only by a few but by almost all Filipino children.
This can only be done with the use of technology and cyber education is one of the answers.
The cyber education project will use satellite technology to provide an efficient and cost-effective solution to the delivery of educational services to public elementary and secondary schools throughout the country.
It will also link schools to a nationwide network that provides 12 video channels, wireless wide area networking, local area networking, and wireless Internet connectivity.
Under this project, a total of 37,794 schools or 90 percent of all public schools nationwide will be connected in the next three years. These schools will receive live broadcasts featuring lectures and presentations from master teachers as well as coursewares and other valuable resource materials.
