Stakeholders apprehensive over iSchools implementation

Principals, PTCA officials wary over post-turnover situation, but local leaders and congressmen are supportive of this ICT project

By Ersyl T. Biray

Beneficiaries of the iSchools project of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology - Human Capital Development Group (CICT-HCDG) raised apprehensions on its implementation during a series of briefing and consultative conferences conducted by the Aklan State University (ASU) in September this year.

High school principals and officers of parents-teachers associations of recipient schools expressed fears that financial problems regarding computer laboratory operation, and the benefits they would derive from the project might be left out after the turnover. They also raised the issue on supervision of computer laboratory operation as teachers have teaching overload, and some students were observed to be better than their teachers in computer operation. Barangay leaders themselves inquired if their constituents can also avail of the project.

However, Dr. Roberto S. Saladar, Director of the Information and Communication Technology Center of ASU and one of iSchools Project Management implementers, pointed out that the local government executives were receptive of the project. In fact, the mayors of Kabankalan City, and Himamaylan in Negros Occidental pledged to construct one computer laboratory room for Inapoy National High School, and Himamaylan National High School-San Antonio Extension, respectively. Congressmen of recipient provinces were even enthusiastic in endorsing the implementation of said projects.

Seven public high schools were chosen as beneficiaries of this project with the ASU as implementer. These are the:

Ø Aguinaldo T. Repiedad Sr Integrated School, Banga, Aklan

Ø Ibajay National High School, Ibajay, Aklan

Ø Manuel F. Onato Memorial National High School, Dumarao, Capiz

Ø Capiz National High School, Roxas City, Capiz

Ø Inapoy National High School, Kabankalan, Negros Occidental

Ø Himamaylan National High School-San Antonio Extension, Himamaylan, Negros Occidental

Ø Romblon National High School in Romblon.

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Ø ASU conducts roll-out training to recipients

Ø ASU ICT goes national, digital