Knowledge Channel to introduce new television programs

Determined to remove the Philippine education out of the doldrums, the Knowledge Channel is introducing new television programs to improve the quality of learning of the Filipino youth.

Thus said Knowledge Channel president Rina Lopez-Bautista, who was recently the keynote speaker in the recent 46th National Rizal Youth Leadership Institute Conference held at the Teacher’s Camp in Baguio City.

The theme of the conference was “Children of Rizal’s One Hundred Years: Surpass the Past. Fulfilling the Future.”

Lopez-Bautista, who spearheads the Knowledge Channel Foundation that began nine years ago, said working on this project has been a learning experience for her.

“The past nine years since the inception of the Knowledge Channel Foundation have truly been not just an eye-opener but also a mind and heart opener,” she said.

In fact, when people asked her why she dedicated much of her time and effort on promoting educational television programming, she would always reply, “My answer is simple. It is because I can. And it is because I should.”

She added that it was while working on the project did she “truly realized the crisis in education, its degradation, and its impact on the people. Where just decades ago, the Philippines was admired for its excellent education system, today it is at the bottom 10 percent, actually number two and number three from the bottom, in science and math, beating Ghana and Botswana.”

After launching a campaign called “Be the Best You,” she said they would soon be releasing an inspirational jingle titled “Kayang Kaya Ko ’To’” by Yeng Constantino.

She was pleased that the participants in the youth congress in Baguio were being called to take action in “Pinoy Gen Y: Yakang Yaka ’Yan!”

“(This would) strengthen our mutual desire to ignite a new kind of fire in the hearts of our young toward showing them how great they can be, and what great things they can do for their country — if only they look deep within themselves and believe that they are worth more than what they think they are — no matter the constraints they have,” she said.

Knowledge Channel is now reaching 2.9 million students every year in more than 1,800 public schools nationwide, including 150 schools in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), as well as families and communities.

But its accomplishment is not only renowned in the country, but is now recognized by other leaders abroad. No less than former United States President William “Bill” Clinton paid tribute to the cable channel.

Clinton chose Knowledge Channel Foundation as one of the six models of commitments he presented at the closing ceremonies of the Clinton Global Initiatives (CGI) Asia Meeting held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Hong Kong recently.

Clinton cited the Knowledge Channel’s commitment to provide access to Internet/computer education to the poor and marginalized but bright children, saying this should be replicated elsewhere in the world.

“So I would like to compliment them for what they’re doing and for others to replicate this in their countries,” Clinton said.

“Imagine how I felt on that stage as President Clinton commended us on what we are doing. It was not so much pride but joy that he believed that what we are doing can truly help others,” Lopez-Bautista said.

They are now receiving queries from international organizations on how they could replicate Knowledge Channel in the southern part of Africa, Latin America, Asia, and other countries including Uganda, Nigeria, Afghanistan, El Salvador, and Vietnam.

But before receiving these accolades, Lopez-Bautista recalled that starting the project and keeping it running has not been easy.

“It has many times been an uphill climb both personally and professionally. It is a journey I embarked on not really knowing where it would lead. But it is an amazing journey where I found my purpose and the answer to why I am who I am. And for that I am truly humbled and grateful to the Lord. This is from Him and for Him,” she said.

She is reminded by one of the teachings that the country’s national hero Dr. Jose Rizal believed and lived by, that “a life that is not dedicated to a noble purpose is just like a stone that is not going to be part of a beautiful edifice.”

Just like Rizal, the Knowledge Channel Foundation president also believes that the youth “is the hope of our future.”