Feature story: WVSU will lead iSchools project in Region VI

The WVSU in Iloilo City is one of the recipient schools of the twenty-one personal computers (PCs) for the iSchools project in March 2008. “As primary teacher education in Region VI, we are honored to lead the iSchools project in six public high schools in the region,” said Dr. Pablo E. Subong Jr., President of West Visayas State University (WVSU). “We are indeed thankful to receive the PCs and these will be deployed at the integrated laboratory school,” he said.

These computers are part of the iSchools project implemented under the leadership of the Commission on Information and Communications (CICT) together with the partner state universities and colleges (SUC). WVSU is one of the partners of CICT in the region, which identified five other schools to receive the same set of PCs. As lead institution for this project, WVSU is tasked to cater the needs of these schools in terms of PC deployment, trainings and technical assistance.

There were some obstacles that can be taken into accounts during the earlier implementation of the project. It was late August of 2007 when the strategies for the implementation of iSchools were completed. On the same month a new WVSU President was appointed. Basically, he was not aware of the project, so he was hesitant to grant approval of the iSchools project at WVSU.

“Daw kabulay gid mag deal kay sir kay di siya fully oriented ka project,” (it is difficult to deal with the President since he is not fully aware of the project) said Dr. Francisca D. Osorio, Project Manager of iSchools at WVSU. The new President requires Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) approved by the school’s Board of Regents before he can issue travel orders and sign documents for iSchools.

In the first week of November 2007, iSchools projects have been settled at WVSU after several meetings with the president and submitting necessary documents as support papers for the approval of MOA.

Deployment of computers

Professor Ignacio Tibajares, Director of the Integrated Laboratory School welcomes the installation of iSchools computers in his department. “This is an opportunity for us to receive the computers and be trained for free,” he said.

The deployment of these PCs comes with the operating systems, applications software, an LCD projector, three-in-One printer, two units of air-conditioning equipment and networking accessories. Of the twenty one PCs, one is used as a server and the other twenty PCs will be used as workstations.

Regular routines had been made by Dr. Osorio prior to the deployment, to make sure the readiness of the site for the installation of PCs, stability of power supply and materials that will be provided by the counterpart school. Six (6) public high schools in Region VI including WVSU laboratory school, will receive the computers. These recipient schools are under the supervision of WVSU. Of the six, four high schools are located in Iloilo. They are:

· Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School
· Calinog National Comprehensive High School
· Pototan National Comprehensive High School, and
· WVSU Integrated Laboratory School

The other two schools are located in Negros Occidental, namely Manapla National Comprehensive High School and Doña Monserat Memorial High School.

Trainings and Monitoring

The PCs deployed in these mentioned schools will be used for trainings of teachers, staff and students that will start this April 2008. In addition to this, the computers will be used for the iSchools projects such as the Internet for high school students and e-Eskwela.

Three trainings are scheduled to be conducted this April and May 2008, namely Computer and Internet Literacy Course (CILC), Webpage Development and Laboratory Management seminars. Expected to attend are teachers, Principals and students of the recipient schools.

To ensure sustainability of the project, WVSU will the lead the monitoring and evaluation of both the trainings and implementation of the project. “With dedicated and responsible personnel tasked to implement the iSchools project, I am certain of the attainment of its success,” said President Subong.


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