Aiming for the Effective Use of Technology in Education

For the first time a representative of the internet cafe industry joins the national forum of the network of civil society that is pushing for reforms in education in the Philippines. “The Education for All Challenge 2015 - Dialogue on the Millennium Development Goals and Education for All” organized by the UNESCO Commission in the Philippines (UNACOM) and the Civil Society Network for Education Reforms, also known as E-Net Philippines was held last September 1, 2010 at the Department of Foreign Affairs building with Department of Education Secretary Bro. Armin A. Luistro as the keynote speaker.

In the open forum that was held after the presentations, I-Cafe Pilipinas representative Mr. Gener Luis Morada, noted that there are a lot of initiatives being made to improve the curriculum and the classroom student ratio by the different civil society organizations but it seems that not much importance is given to the effective use of technology in education.

He noted that there are a lot of initiatives being made by different organizations but it has not been very effective due to lack of an organized thrust and a national program on how these technologies could be used effectively in education. He informed the participants of the willingness on the part of the internet cafe owners provide inputs and cooperate fully with the Department of Education in forming a national framework on the effective use of technology in education with the internet cafes serving as access points for teachers and students.

Mr. Morada likewise informed the participants of the current initiative of the Internet Cafe Association of Imus, Inc in cooperation with I-Cafe Pilipinas, Pilipinas I-Cafe Consumer Cooperative and the Municipal Government of Imus, Cavite in developing the “ICT Learning Hub". The primary thrust of this program is to enable the public school system of the municipality to effectively use the different free web based applications that is available in the internet to connect them with their different stakeholders to bring about a convergence of actions for the improvement of education. A representative from the office of Secretary Luistro and E-NET President Edicio dela Torre promised to include I-Cafe Pilipinas in future planning activities that would be conducted by the Department of Education.