Teachers’ group hits DepEd for hush-hush demo on CyberEd

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) denounced the Department of Education (DepEd) for holding a hush-hush suppliers’ demonstration for the controversial P26.48-billion Cyber Education Project (CEP) last Dec. 17.

ACT, an umbrella organization of public and private school teachers’ associations and college instructors’ groups, said the hardware demonstration was attended by Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, Commission on Higher Education chairman Romulo Neri and other members of the Presidential Task Force to Assess, Plan, and Monitor the Entire Educational System headed by Dr. Mona Valisno.

Also at the event were officials of Chinese firm Tsinghua Tongfang Nuctech – which the Chinese government has designated as the contractor for the CEP – and representatives of its supplier-firms.

Antonio Tinio, ACT chairperson, said that the demonstration was proof that DepEd was still pushing for the expensive but still untested education technology despite the its having been suspended by President Arroyo.

“This proves that Malacañang and the DepEd are quietly preparing for the implementation of the controversial Cyber Education Project behind everyone’s back, even though serious questions regarding the educational value of the project, its economic viability, its legality, and whether or not it’s tainted with corruption, remain unanswered,” Tinio said.

Lapus, in an interview with The STAR, confirmed the “equipment test” by Tsinghua, the group that they were talking to for the implementation of the CEP.

However, Lapus said that there was nothing irregular in the exercise since it was only a venue for DepEd and other education stakeholders to evaluate the CEP proposal.

Lapus said that the Monday demonstration involved testing of satellite dishes to be supplied by American and Israeli firms that are possible equipment suppliers of Tsinghua.

“There was no cost to DepEd. They’re trying to convince the user (DepEd) and the Chinese about their satellite dish equipment,” Lapus said.

But Tinio scored the DepEd for keeping the demonstration under wraps.

He noted that members of the public, school personnel not directly involved with the demonstration, and media were barred from the event.

According to eyewitnesses, Lapus had asked a news reporter from a national daily to refrain from covering the activity.

According to a 14-page handout provided by the DepEd to invited guests, a copy of which was obtained by ACT, the demonstration consisted of a 27-minute live broadcast of a classroom lecture on the “Cause and Effect of Earthquakes” by a Master Teacher in Science from a studio in an undisclosed location.

The satellite feeds were transmitted to a facility in Subic, a classroom in Antipolo, as well as a classroom in Muntinlupa Elementary School.

Tinio scored the DepEd for failing to pilot-test satellite-based classroom instruction before signing the P26-billion deal with the Chinese.

According to the DepEd, three suppliers were involved in the demonstration: the United States-based ViaSat, the Israeli firm Gilat, and the Filipino satellite operator Mabuhay Satellite Corp.

ViaSat provided the equipment for the classroom in Muntinlupa while Gilat equipped the school in Antipolo. Mabuhay provided its Agila 2 satellite for broadcasting.

The DepEd handout also stated that these suppliers were “invited by Tsinghua.”

Tsinghua has been exposed by ACT as a leading supplier of x-ray inspection machines for airports, customs, and other security applications. It is headed by Hu Haifeng, the son of Chinese president Hu Jintao.

Tinio noted that the supplier demonstration raised several important questions that must be clarified by the Arroyo government.

The CEP aims to set up a satellite-based network that will provide live television broadcasts of lessons to over 37,000 public schools nationwide.

Costing P26.48 billion, it will be funded by the People’s Republic of China through a concessional loan where the PROC will be the one to identify their preferred contractor, in thus case Tsinghua Holdings.

It will be recalled that President Arroyo suspended the project last August, in the wake of allegations of high-level corruption in the national broadband network project of the DOTC, also funded by a PROC concessional loan.