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President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Sunday that the government's cyber education project must be protected "from unnecessary controversy" to ensure that the world-class information communications technology (ICT) program is implemented without further glitches. 

The President made the statement upon her arrival last night from a five-day trip to China and India.

The Cyber Education Project of the Department of Education (DepEd) is designed to make the country’s educational system globally competitive and the Filipino students at par with those of the rest of the world.

She directed the China Projects Oversight Panel chaired by Trade Secretary Peter Favila to "begin working out procedures to protect the cyber education project from unnecessary controversy, so that world-class ICT would reach 4th to 6th class municipalities and the least endowed schools."

The President issued the directive to ensure that the cyber education project does not suffer the same fate as the aborted National Broadband Network (NBN).

The Cyber Ed Project uses satellite technology to provide an efficient and cost-effective solution to deliver educational services to public elementary and secondary schools throughout the country.

Although she expressed disappointment over the scrapping of the NBN project, the President said she was grateful that China "remains committed to our confident, mature and comprehensive relations."

She added that with the cancellation of the NBN project the government’s projected telecom savings of P3 billion a year from broadband may go down the drain.

She also reiterated her call on the private sector to fill the gaps in the telecommunications facilities and services, especially in the depressed areas.

"We reiterate our instruction to (DOTC) Secretary Leandro Mendoza to discuss with private telecommunication companies how government can cut its phone, fax and online expenses, so we can spend more on programs and projects. And once again we urge the private sector to fill the gaps in telecommunication facilities and services, especially in depressed areas," the President said.