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Sunday, June 11, 2006
COA rules limit gov’t solutions
Buying refurbished computers may help meet computerization targets in Cebu’s public schools, but Cebu Provincial Board (PB) Member Victor Maambong said this could also cause problems with the Commission on Audit (COA).
Maambong disclosed that local officials met the same problem when he wanted to buy surplus television and DVD sets for educational use within his district.
The board member had allocated money from his discretionary funds for the distribution of television sets to different public schools in the barangays of Consolacion and Cordova towns and the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.
But Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, chairperson of the provincial council on information and communication technology (ICT), said they should just do what they think is best, despite COA.
Anyway, Garcia pointed out, COA has been inconsistent in its stand on other issues, and was proven wrong when the Supreme Court ruled against its opinion on the use of the Special Education Fund for the salaries of teachers.
“I say we do what we think is the best thing to do. Go ahead and let COA issue an observation then we will answer. If they won’t listen, let’s go to court,” Garcia told members of the council in a meeting last week.
The ICT council learned from the Department of Education (DepEd) that the agency is in “bad shape” and far behind its target of giving at least 10 computer units in each of Cebu’s 953 elementary schools and 203 public high schools.
So far, only eight percent of the elementary schools have computer units, 4.5 percent of which offer computer classes. As for the high schools, only 98 schools have computer units and 57 offer computer classes.
Provincial Schools Superintendent Recaredo Borgonia had explained that most of the education department’s money goes to the salaries of teachers and personnel, and little is left for capital outlay.
Garcia cited that elementary schools don’t really need high-end computer units, as the curriculum only shows that the classes will focus on the parts of a computer and the basics of using it.
Besides, it is not easy to control access to pornographic sites if children are given access to the Internet.
Other members of the council, including IBM Philippines president and general manager Joaquin Quintos IV, agree that refurbished computers will serve the purpose. (JPM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 11, 2006 issue)
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