Computer school on wheels rolls off in QC

A 20-foot container van converted into a mobile classroom rolled out yesterday from Quezon City Hall to provide computer training right at the doorstep of residents in various barangays of the city.

Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr., assisted by Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista, Councilor Bernadette Herrera Dy and other members of the city council, formally set into motion the Computer School on Wheels (COW) at the city hall grounds during yesterday’s flag raising ceremonies.

Funded by the Australian government, the mobile classroom was a brainchild of Herrera, intended to complement the mayor’s effort to make residents, particularly the youth, computer-literate.

"Computer training is an opportunity for the future, it’s a necessity that everyone must possess to acquire job," Belmonte said.

The air-conditioned mobile classroom, equipped with 21 computers, is capable of training 300 students in a five-week period.

Training sessions began with an initial batch of city hall employees then onward to Barangay Sto. Domingo. Other barangays will follow suit.

The launching of the mobile computer classroom coincided with the distribution of the initial batch of service vehicles to the city’s public elementary and high schools.

A total of 52 yellow multicabs were received by Dr. Victoria Fuentes, city division school superintendent.

Fuentes said the vehicles will be of great help to teachers and students in attending inter-school activities such as academic competitions and other extra-curricular activities.

"From now on, we will no longer be hiring jeepneys to attend various inter-school activities," Fuentes said.

Improving public education is among the priorities being addressed by the city government to make public schools at par with leading private schools.

Among the major programs are the construction of more schools and setting up of electronic libraries to allow students easy access to the Internet.