Poor ICT in basic education

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor ERIC T. LORETIZO Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Basic education in the country must be updated and geared toward greater effectiveness and competitiveness in its training in information and communications technology if we are to see a brighter, more relevant and responsive higher education and community life in the country. As it is now, the country has been lagging behind its Southeast Asian neighbors in ICT integration in basic education.

The sad reality surfaced in the conference on Philippine Education Roadmap which focused on the building of the 21st Century School System recently. No less than Education Secretary Jesli Lapus acknowledged the deficiency when he pointed out in the conference that, despite the increasing number of computers acquired by secondary schools, the ratio of computers to students and computers to teachers have remained extremely poor.

The education secretary also identified the dearth of standards and guidelines for the integration of technology in different subjects and the absence of a nationally prescribed technology-enhanced curriculum as a negative factor in the efforts of the country to keep pace with ICT integration in Philippine basic education. While a number of private corporations and establishments have been initiating interventions to make the Philippine basic education curriculum keep pace with standards and strengthen the IT industry-academe linkage, the need has remained a nagging problem.

We recognize the sincere efforts of the government and of education leaders, particularly in forging stronger industry-education partnerships, particularly in the next few years, which are considered crucial as the global community heads toward greater dependence and utilization of modern technology and communication resources. These efforts deserve the support and cooperation of our national leaders as they respond to the needs of Philippine education, which needs exigent attention for the transformation it deserves.

Much more, amid efforts to improve technology infrastructure, the academic sector management and the national leadership are also expected to pursue programs to upgrade skills and competencies of its human resources and providing them with better opportunities for intellectual and financial growth, knowing that their commitment to their mission is the key to effectiveness of Philippine basic and higher education.*