iSchools Project to Deploy 8,000 ICT Equipments to 320 Public High Schools

The iSchools Project of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) will begin the deployment phase of its current implementation cycle on August 7, 2009. Eight thousand ICT equipments will be delivered to 320 public high schools nationwide within a month.

Each of the 320 beneficiary public high schools will receive the following: 19 multimedia desktop computers (LCD screen), a server, a laptop, a DLP projector, a 3-in-1 printer, a router and a wireless internet camera. Each recipient school will also receive a one-year internet connection subscription which will follow by mid August to September.

Aside from the equipment, the 320 iSchools beneficiaries will also receive four ICT training programs.

Initially, 20 school personnel (teachers, administrators, and students) will undergo a five-day basic computer and internet literacy course to be administered by certified International Computer Driving License (ICDL) trainers from 37 partner State Universities and Colleges (SUC).

Specialized ICT courses such as website development using Joomla, laboratory management using the Linux platform and library management will follow. Two personnel each from the 320 schools will attend these courses.

Despite the scale of deliverables, Antonette Torres, Project Manager of the iSchools Project, is confident that deployment can be completed within the target date.

“Our strategy is to tap our SUC partners as representatives of the CICT in the regions,” shares Torres.

“They would be able to create relationships with the high schools in their localities while at the same time serve as our partners in bridging the digital divide, especially in the provinces.”

The iSchools Project is one of the flagship projects of the Commission under the ICT4BE Program. The project aims to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education, by providing training modules and increasing ICT access in public high schools. Now on its 3rd year of implementation, the iSchools Project has provided these services to 680 public high schools nationwide.