In a span of seven months, I have traveled to Cebu for four times already and this time, it’s for a good cause. I have always enjoyed going to places and seeing good things unfold before me. Globe Telecom invited my fellow bloggers and journalists from Bacolod and Iloilo to witness the implementation of its Global Filipino School (GFS) program in the Cebu City National Science High School (CCNSHS). We entered the quiet grounds of CCNSHS and proceeded to the library where a number of students, teachers, Globe executives and DepEd officials were already present.
A cart with a projector and a small board that acts like a screen captured my attention. It was the GFS mobile cart which is the Globe Digital Learning Lab that has gadgets, equipment and superior internet connectivity that can be used for classroom instruction and field activities that can enhance creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking among teachers and students. The whole mobile facility has 20 tablets that can project presentations, two projector kits, 10 Globe Prepaid Supersticks, and free 10 mbps internet connection. The GFS mobile cart also has a capacity of being a charging station. We witnessed the turnover of this tool to the CCNSHS officials, faculty and students.
The Global Filipino School program of Globe, which now covers 142 schools nationwide since it started in 2012, selects public schools all over the country and provides them with infrastructure support and equips them with Information and Communications Technology. Apart from the physical donation and wireless connection, the program also trains teachers with ICT skills that they can apply in their respective subject expertise. These schools under this program then acts as a teacher training center for the Department of Education, helping equip teachers in surrounding schools in their division.
Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto remarked, “Quality education goes hand-in-hand with ICT which allows learning to take place not only within the classroom but even beyond it. Mobile internet adoption and the availability of affordable data-capable gadgets make it easier now for both students and teachers to access a vast library of information previously out of reach. We believe that by providing the teachers and students with the tools they need, we can help uplift the state of Philippine education one classroom at a time.”
CCNHS is already the 10th school in the province of Cebu that benefits from the GFS program. This is helpful to its 38 teachers and 1,004 students. The reality is that several public schools in the Philippines are not yet equipped with ICT, which prompts Globe to provide solution to this challenge through GFS. It aims to transform at least one school in every school division of the Department of Education, which is now has 221 divisions, to be models of ICT excellence within the next four years.
The GFS is a promising program based on the impact assessment of the Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Global Market Research Company held last year. The program saw improvements among teachers and students on their digital skills, especially on the usage of computer software and mobile technology. Students are now more engaged in their lessons through the use of ICT.
Officials, such as CCNSHS Principal Evelyn Pielago, DepEd Cebu City Division Assistant SDS Dr. Danilo Gudelosao, DepEd Region VII Regional Director Dr. Juliet Jeruta, Globe Telecom Head of Broadband Marketing Barbie Dapul, and Globe Telecom Citizenship Division Manager Miguel Bermundo, talked more about the program and its benefits.
Similarly, CCNSHS faculty member Rex Ebarle and grade 11 student Arianwen Rollan shared how the program, along with its tools for learning, made it easy for them to continue their academic activities outside the classroom setting.
Prior to the turnover we witnessed, a Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP) training was also held with 44 ICT coordinators of Mandaue City School Division. The activity was held by Globe at the Mandaue City Science High School. Out of this training, the coordinators from 42 public elementary and schools in Mandaue will conduct workshops to their respective students to teach them the responsible use of technology through three modules. Each module will help them increase their knowledge and understanding of digital citizenship and cyber safety by taking a closer look on their online behavior, enabling them to assess the influence of the online world on the choices they make.
These programs are a great way in ushering our country and young generation to the new era of ICT. Having incorporated volunteering and cause-oriented activities in some of my travels, I found it exciting to learn about the Global Filipino School Program and the Digital Thumbprint Program of Globe. I look forward to seeing how these programs will unfold and shape communities, particularly in my own hometown and in places where I will be traveling in the future.
This article is part of my #WonderfulCebu #Globe blog series.
