CLSU President inks iSchools Project MOA with CICT

Dr. Ruben C. Sevilleja, CLSU President with CICT Secretary Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III signing a MOA for the 2007 implementation of the iSchools Project. Standing as witnesses are other SUC presidents , SUC ICT Coordinators with the CICT Commissionaire head of the Human Capital Development Group (HCDG Atty. Consuelo S. Perez.

Dr. Ruben C. Sevilleja, CLSU President signed a MOA with the Commission on Information and Communication Technology (CICT) last November 6, 2008 to mark the start and implementation of the iSchools Project 2007. CLSU with 36 other SUCs in the country is a long time eQuality Program Member and Partner of CICT. This is the second year that CLSU is involved in implementing the iSchools project.

iSchools Project is one of the flagship projects of CICT that promotes the utilization of ICT in the country and bridging the Digital Divide thru the deployment of Computer Labs in the selected Public High Schools in the country. This is the third year of implementation which targets 320 public high schools each year till 2010.

CLSU, last year implemented the iSchools Project 2006 in 31 public high schools in Nueva Ecija(11) , Bulacan(9) and the National Capital Region(11). The project is led by Engr. Theody B. Sayco, Professor and Institute Director of the CLSU Information Systems Institute.

This year, CLSU will implement the same project in 14 public high schools in Nueva Ecija(11) and Aurora Province(13). The project package include a complete computer laboratory hardware software and internet connection and ICT training components for the teachers.

Aside from the iSchools Project, CLSU is also involved in the eSkwela Project, another flagship project of the CICT which caters to the development of e Learning Modules for the Out of School Learners in the country.

CLSU faculty and staff prior to their involvement in the project has attended numerous training packages from CICT which ensures that they are well equipped in skills and technology during the implementation proper. Overall, CICT and CLSU has evolved into serious partners in promoting ICT in the country.

Library Management Training Conducted at CLSU

Twenty five Public High School teachers manning their own libraries attended the Library Managment Information System cluster training at Central Luzon State University. The teacher-librarians represented 13 Public High Schools in Nueva Ecija and 9 Public High Schools in Bulacan. This is part of the CICT-iSchools Project 2006 implementation.

The schools are the ones supervised by the CLSU iSchools Project Team headed by Engr. Theody B. Sayco. Prof. Araceli Pal of Tarlac College of Agriculture served as the Trainor for the said event.

The Library Management and Information System was developed by the Laguna University and the software is dubbed as "ANILAG".

The training module is divided into two main parts namely; Library Concepts and System Installation and Configuration.

The training is conducted on weekends which started September 21 and will end September 28.

CLSU iSchools Team Conduct Web Devt Training

The CLSU iSchools Team rolled out yesterday, Sept 13, 2008 the Web Development Training Course to 14 Public High Schools in Nueva Ecija here at the Information Systems Institute, Central Luzon State University, Science City of Munoz.

The objective of the training is for Public High Schools in the province to develop their school's website and have web presence to showcase their respective schools' activities.

Participants to the training came from

• Bongabon National High School


• Rizal National High School


• Talavera National High School


• Mayapyap National High School


• San Josef National High School


• Camp Tinio National High School


• Eastern Cabu National High School


• San Mariano National High School


• San Nicolas National High School


• Sta. Crua National High School


• Nueva Ecija High School


• Constancio Padilla National High School*


• Triala High School*


• CLSU University High School

** Constancio Padilla and Triala High Schools are 2005 iSchools recipients while the rest are 2006 iSchools recipients.

A total of 28 participants are attending the course which will last for two weekends. Next batch of trainees will be from the province of Bulacan and the National Capital Region.

8th ASEAN Science and Technology Week held in Manila

The 8th ASEAN Science and Technology Week Scientific and Technical Conference was held at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City yesterday, July 3-4, 2008.

The Opening ceremonies was well attended by key personalities in the Science and Technology field from member ASEAN countries which include Japan, China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darusallam, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and the host -Philippines.

The conference theme "ASEAN S and T: Addressing Regional and Global Challenges in the 21st Century" was highlighted by technical paper and poster presentations in five disciplines namely:

• Alternative Energy
• Disaster Mitigation
• Functional Food
• Information and Communication Technology, and,
• Science and Technology Capacity Building.

The week long celebration will be culminated by the Science and Technology Awards to be given to outstanding accomplishments in the field of Science and Technology in the ASEAN Region.

Thank God I survived!

"GOD thank you"! That's all I can say when i read the e-mail sent by Ms. Toni Torres of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT). I made it with 8 others in the Basic Online Writing Training.

For those who did not make it, don't be sad. You can still contribute to the project by training others and practice the skills presented to us at the training.

Just keep on practicing what Mam Yvonne and Mam Luz taught us. Thank you Ma'm for the training!

Night Trip from Oasis

As i drove along the dimmed light highway that would bring me home, things of varied proportions have been playing in my mind...

I seem could not concentrate of driving, so i stopped by the town of Concepcion to sip a cup of strong coffee. As I empty the cup, Viet, participant from Palawan, sent a text message to say thanks for giving her a ride to the bus stop that will bring her to Manila. I texted back "it is my pleasure, no problem."

My car and I finally reach home after two hours of driving alone. I felt relieved arriving safely and seeing my family after four days being out for the iSchools project.

Lying in bed my mind is trying to figure out what will I do first thing in the morning, perhaps buy a newspaper and read the Opinions Page or the Headlines and maybe, read a Feature story.

This, perhaps is the best thing that happened to me over the weekend, learn new skill which i hope i can norture in the days ahead.

iSchools Grants Student’s Wish

Lara Villanes is a third year high school student and lives in Phase P Francisco Homes, in the rolling hills of San Jose Del Monte City Bulacan. Her school is located quite far and she has to walk a kilometer every day to and from their house.

From a poor family, she is the oldest among two siblings. Adora, her mother, works as an English tutor to Koreans thus it makes sense why she is one of the editors in their school paper.

To do her editorial works for the school paper she would come to an internet café near their house and has to pay PhP 20 for every hour that she uses the computer and even pays extra P5 pesos to print a page.

Lara’s Wish

Lara’s classroom is located in the far north east corner of the school, and in order to reach the place she has to pass by the school’s computer room. Most of the time she would pause and peek on the glass window by the door and silently whispers her wish.

Girls in San Jose Del Monte high school do homemaking and cooking while only boys were allowed to use the computers.

Big news at school

One day, she noticed a car parked in front of the school’s office and saw a person wearing barong talking to the principal. By the look of the conversation the principal looked happy by the wide smile on her face, while led the person to the old computer room. She later found out that the person represents the iSchools Project and is considering their school as a recipient.

The principal announced one day in the flag ceremony about the new development in the school – a computer lab package is soon to be set up in the computer lab and that boys and girls can now use the computers. Lara never shouted “yehey” but she said “tears fell on my cheek as I knew my wish has been granted,” as she recalled that event.

Mother works for the iSchools project

About a month prior to that, her mother had to change work and has to frequent the province of Nueva Ecija. A long time acquaintance had offered her mother a job which requires her to be out of their home during weekdays. She had no time except weekends to tell her mother that she was being considered to be a student participant in a training where the school was engaged in.

When she had that chance to tell her mother, her mother simply laughs and said “Yes, I know for I saw your name in the list.” Lara was confused and surprised of what she heard, asked her mother how she ever knew that. Her mother with a wide smile on her face told her that she know because she works with the iSchools project and that the person she was describing was actually her mother’s supervisor.

The rest was history, Lara has been inspired by the development that she can‘t wait to be in the training. She would be travelling to Central Luzon State University in Munoz, Nueva Ecija to attend the Web Development Training.

This is part of the iSchools Project Capability Training Packages for the recipient Public High Schools under the iSchools Project.

CLSU launch 2007 iSchools Project

The Central Luzon State University Project Team began implementing the iSchools Project . with an assessment and site evaluation of 13 Public High Schools in Nueva Ecija and Pasig City from June 12 – 16, 2008.

The public high schools are located in 8 Nueva Ecija towns and 2 barangays of Pasig City:

• Digdig
• Jaen
• Laur
• Licab
• Science City of Munoz (2)
• San Antonio (2)
• Sto. Domingo, and \
• Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija
• Pinagbuhatan and
• Santolan, Pasig City

Public High Schools must pass the criteria set by the iSchools Project Management Office before they can be considered for the project.
If a school qualifies, a package of hardware, software and series of trainings await the schools and teachers.

iSchools is a flagship project of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT) funded by the eGov Funds. It focuses in integrating ICT in education towards strengthening classroom learning and instruction by expanding access to various sources of information.

Engr. Theody B. Sayco, chairperson of the IT Department heads the CLSU Team. This is the third year that CLSU has actively participated in the projectCICT taps the services of the SUC as members of the eQuality Program of CICT of which CLSU is a pioneering member.