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Cotabato
City, March 27, 2005 - "Narrowing the digital divide between
schools in Mindanao and elsewhere - both in the Philippines and
the rest of the world - is important and vital, both as a means
of equalizing educational opportunity and expanding access to
worldwide information and as a tool for economic development and
global citizenship."
These
were the words of United States Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone,
as he addressed students of the Rasheeda High School during the
recent formal turn-over of computers and Internet connection capability
to the Madrasah.
The
Ambassador's message centered on a topic close to his heart and
one which students, teachers and parents could well relate to:
the value of computer literacy and information technology.
He
added that computer and Internet skills learned in school can
one day enable students to become global entrepreneurs. "In a
few years, one of you will be sending an e-mail message to the
Embassy of the United States, seeking information on possible
US markets for goods that you are producing."
Rasheeda
High School is now one of the 130 public schools participating
in USAID's Computer Literacy and Internet Connection (CLIC) Program,
which is being implemented under the Growth with Equity in Mindanao
2 (GEM2) Program.
The
CLIC Program supports the efforts of the national government and
Department of Education-ARMM to expand computer literacy and information
technology preparedness among students and teachers in the ARMM
and neighboring conflict-affected areas. To date, it has benefited
schools with a combined enrollment of 150,000 students and a total
faculty of 5,000 teachers.
Ambassador
Ricciardone, a former school teacher in the United States, likewise
emphasized the crucial role being played by the Parent Teacher
Community Association (PTCA) to ensure the sustainability of the
project. "We are very pleased that the CLIC resource will receive
counterpart support from parents, who, through the school's PTCA,
represent a true partnership to sustain this investment," Ricciardone
said.
The
CLIC Program requires PTCAs to provide counterpart funds to cover
power and maintenance costs. The objective is to teach beneficiaries
to accept responsibility for services in schools.
"It
is very important for parents, whatever their status in life,
to be proactive in laying the foundation for their children's
future. Asking them to commit to pay for continued Internet connection
and other overhead expenses after the one year CLIC support ends
will ensure the long-term sustainability of the project for the
benefit of the students and the community at large," pointed out
Michael Langsdorf, GEM Deputy Program Manager for Education and
Governance.
For
her part, Shaheenah Abas, student body president of Rasheeda High
School, extended the school's gratitude to the Ambassador for
finding time to visit and grace the turn-over ceremonies. She
assured the Ambassador that the computer resources provided by
CLIC will go a long way towards their advancement in the arena
of information technology.
With
the seven Internet-connected computers provided by CLIC, the school
can now expand its computer education courses to all high school
levels and conduct computer classes from Sunday to Thursday.
(Luis Mendoza, Jr., GEM Program)
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