Sen. Osmeña, KCFI team up for Cebu City public schools

CEBU, Philippines - Senator Sergio Osmeña III and Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. (KCFI) is working together for programs that will supplement basic education in Cebu City’s public school system.

Osmeña recognized the value of utilizing information and communications technology (ICT) for national progress and development as well as the improvement and enhancement of basic education.

He allocated 2.3 million to improve the academic and technical proficiencies of Cebu City’s public school students while KCFI set up the first all-educational television channel with Department of Education curriculum-based programs for elementary and secondary schools beamed nationwide.

KCFI has been providing access to Knowledge Channel and its programs to thousands of public elementary and secondary schools in the Philippines through cable infrastructure or through wireless technology equipped with satellite dishes and receivers.

In recognition of the benefits that Knowledge Channel will provide to the public educational system in Cebu City, Osmeña allocated the said amount for the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget, pursuant to the Republic Act 10147 under the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

The PDAF has been released by the Department of Budget and Management under Special Allotment Release Order, dated March 14 this year for the participating schools in Cebu City.

KCFI and Osmeña signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Cebu City Government to provide public schools in Cebu City with free access to the Knowledge Channel Programs.

KCFI will install the Knowledge Channel in beneficiary schools and will continually upgrade and develop the programming of the said channel.

KCFI will also conduct principal orientation and teachers training workshop on the usage of KCFI hardware and software technologies and integration of Knowledge Channel programs in beneficiary schools.

In return, the Cebu City Government will be requiring all the principals of the participating schools to submit a quarterly report to KCFI indicating therein feedback from the teachers and students on the Knowledge Channel programs including suggestions to improve the content and delivery of the programs.

The Cebu City Government will also devise and establish a mechanism for monitoring and ensuring the viewing of Knowledge Channel by students and teachers as part of their regular activities.

Schools included for consideration are Abellana National School, Banilad Night High School, Barrio Luz NHS, Bulacao Community HS, City Central School, Don Carlos Gothong Memorial NHS, Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. Memorial NHS, Don Vicente Rama Memorial NHS, Dr. Emilio Osmeña HS, Camp Lapu-Lapu NHS,  Inayawan NHS, Lahug NHS, Mambaling NHS, Pardo NHS, Pasil NHS, Pit-os NHS, Punta Prinsesa NHS, Regino Mercado NHS, Talamban NHS, Tejero NHS, Tisa NHS, Zapatera NHS and Cebu City National Science High School.

— (FREEMAN)