Project brings Internet to 1,000 schools

At least a thousand of the country’s public schools now have computer laboratories, allowing students to learn from the Internet.

Although a thousand schools represent only 17.5 percent of the target, the people behind GILAS computer literacy project believe it can reach its goal of establishing Internet-connected computer laboratories in all 5,700 public high schools in the Philippines by 2010.

GILAS, which stands for Gearing-Up Internet Literacy and Access for Students, is run by a consortium of business leaders, civic organizations and representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The project brought together rival companies such as telecom giants Globe, Smart, Digitel and Bayantel that all worked together alongside computer companies, local government units, non-profit organizations, school boards and individual donors to bring the Internet to even the most far-flung areas of the country.

The group said the Philippines is finally moving faster towards computer-based education after lagging behind other Asian countries for a long time.

GILAS celebrated yesterday its success in bringing computer and Internet technology to more educational institutions after a year and nine months of working on the project.

By the end of 2004, GILAS said only 308 public high schools had computer laboratories equipped with Internet access.

The group said the DepEd, despite efforts to address the shortage, was and is held back by more basic problems that plague the country’s education system – lack of classrooms, teachers and learning materials.

And in response to the urgent need for computer and Internet literacy programs for Filipino public school students, the GILAS project was born in January 2005.

"The success of the GILAS project is attributed to the consortium’s multisectoral nature as it enjoins all sectors of society to do their part and invest in quality education for our youth," GILAS director Oscar Sanez said during the celebration at the InterContinental Hotel in Makati City.

According to Sanez, the DTI’s "PCs (personal computers) for public schools program" provides the computers while funding for Internet connectivity are raised from donations from private corporations, individuals and groups, which are matched in funding by senators, congressmen, governors and mayors.

GILAS co-chairpersons Sen. Mar Roxas and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala joined Education Secretary Jesli Lapus at yesterday’s event, which marked the launch of the project’s new media campaign through television commercials for local and international airing.

Sanez said Filipino-American groups are also tapped to raise funds to connect schools in their Filipino hometowns and resource mobilization groups such as Children’s Hour and corporate foundations provide increased support for the project.

Volunteers conduct surveys and seminars for public school teachers, and provide technical support to GILAS’ beneficiary schools.