The Cyber Education Project in the Philippines

1. THE CYBER
EDUCATION PROJECT
Irene T. Mañova
MAT-THE

2.  It was conceptualized during the time of
President Fidel V. Ramos. The idea was to
use the country’s Agila satellite system
which was launched into orbit in 1997, as
the tool. However, it didn’t push through.
 During President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo’s government, is trying hard in
realizing this development amidst the
strong and challenging political and
economic concerns.

4.  ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
Low mastery levels in both
Elementary and Secondary levels
Lowest grades are in Science and
Math
Poor performance in international
benchmark exam

5.  DROP-OUTS: HIGH RISK IN COHORT
SURVIVAL
Only 7 out of 10 pupils entering Grade
1 will finish grade VI
Only 4 will finish secondary schooling
Reasons for dropping out include lack
of pre-school preparation, disinterest in
the lessons, poverty, malnutrition and
transportation problem.

6.  OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH
FUNCTIONAL ILLITERATES – 9.16 million around
16% of the population are illiterate youths and
adults
VS. Mobile Teachers - 800
VS. Alternative Learning – 0.17% of DepEd
Budget
Impossible to reach the illiterate youths and
adults without the aid of electronic multi-
media technology

7. Reach the illiterate youths and adults with the aid
of electronic multimedia technology. Better yet,
use a satellite technology that connects all
schools in real time so that contents and
processes are standardized.
The Best response to the challenges of basic
education is the CYBER EDUCATION PROJECT. It is
the quickest and most-effective way of delivering
the same high quality education to all learners
throughout the country.

8. CYBER EDUCATION is defined as brand new
form of education in which instructional and
management activities are carried out
mainly based on E-Learning technologies.
It includes concepts like “online education”,
“E-Learning”, “virtual education”, “digital
education”, “multimedia learning” and
among others.
The Philippines’ Cyber Education Project is
accurately described as a SATELLITE-BASED
DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM.

9. This ICT-based education strategy is included
in an economic cooperation agreement
between the Philippines and China signed in
June 2006. The CEP is supposed to be carried
out with technical assistance from Tsinghua
University, China’s premier technology
university and one of the world’s pioneers in
distance education.

10.  The DepEd set the school year 2008-2009 as the
target date for the launch of the pilot schools and the
remaining schools for the first phase of CEP.
 However, allegations that the CEP is another
anomalous transaction similar to the controversial
$329 M national broadband network (NBN) project.
 September 25, 2007: President Arroyo officially
announces the suspension of the NBN and CyberEd
projects. “ We have suspended the national
broadband and cyber education projects in response
to political criticisms, “ she said.

11.  Under CEP, a total of 37,794 schools will be linked to
a nationwide network that provides 12 video
channels (one channel for each grade/year level
and a channel for teacher training), wireless wide
area networking, local area networking and wireless
internet connectivity that is expected to be finished
in 3 years. The network will enable collaboration
among teachers and will introduce school children
to more interactive and interesting learning
methodologies.

12.  The CEP will make use of satellite technology since
satellite communications do not demand extensive wire
infrastructure in order to broadcast information.
Classrooms will be equipped with a television set hooked
to a satellite disc. At the start of a subject period, the
teacher opens the TV to receive a live satellite feed from
DepEd studios in Manila. A “master teacher” gives a live
lecture simultaneously to tens of thousands of students all
over the country.
 DepEd is planning to get the “best” teachers including
Metrobank awardees to act as speakers or trainers for the
live broadcast. The teacher and students will watch the
live lecture, and then spend the rest of the subject period
discussing and doing school work.

13.  To implement aforementioned strategy, the
Deped will install the necessary equipment,
which include TVs and computers, in about 34
schools per day for three years, starting with
schools in 3rd
class cities and municipalities. Also,
the DepEd will put up its own studio and
broadcasting center to produce the daily live
shows on 12 channels covering five subjects.

14.  A dedicated network
that will eventually
connect all DepEd
administrative units in
the country including:
 A nationwide
network that will
utilize satellite
technology
considered to be
most effective and
efficient in the world
today.
 Central office
 17 regional offices
 187 division ICT
offices
 All public schools

15. NETWORK CONFIGURATIONNETWORK CONFIGURATION
Source:

16. • This network configuration is a proven design for other
satellite-based distance education programs in other
countries.
• The central office will house the master production center.
This includes the data centers, network operating center
and satellite communications center. Everything that can
be achieved in the network will go through the highly
secure master production center
• Model schools will house the virtual classroom studios which
will broadcast live classes to all recipient schools
nationwide.

17. • Regional office has the capability to produce
localized content and upload it to the network
for use of everybody
• Central, Regional and division offices have the
capability for video conferencing and high-
speed file sharing
• Schools will have own Local Area Network (LAN)
and logistical preparation.

18. PROJECTPROJECT CONNECTIVITYCONNECTIVITY
Source:

19. • Multimedia classroom contains an average of 2 PCs, 4
TVs, 1 printer, 1 set of send/receive antenna
• Each school will have a local media server that will
manage all materials downloaded from the data centers
• There is virtually no limit to the number of additional TVs
and PCs that the intranet can accommodate
• The use of television is a strategy to ease the transition to
more sophisticated forms of technology and reduce
technophobia, especially in elementary schools. Teachers
and students might still be comfortable in using TVs for
learning in the early stages of project implementation.
PROJECTPROJECT CONNECTIVITYCONNECTIVITY

20. • There is no limit to the number of TVs the network can
accommodate
• The presence of a few computers will gradually make
them more comfortable in utilizing the technology. In the
future, as computer prices decrease and more donors /
private sector partners support DepED, computer density
in schools will eventually increase and pave the way for
more independent forms of pedagogy
• Outsiders to the network can visit a website where they
can download other multimedia content.
PROJECTPROJECT CONNECTIVITYCONNECTIVITY

21.  United States, Canada, Chile, Mexico, El
Salvador, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras,
Thailand, Indonesia, India and China.
 The CEP project is patterned after the successful
China Education and Research Network
(CERNET), which serves 320 M school children,
and the E-Education Project, which provides
about the same Cyber Ed package to almost 500
000 schools and universities in China.

22.  China’s Tsinghua University as the major
partner to lead in the turn-key setup.
 Best Technology university in China (no. 17 in the
world)
 Pioneered the long-distance education platform for
China
 Manages the Chinese CERNET Backbone (320 M
beneficiaries)
 Runs E-education project for almost 500,000 schools
 Has cutting edge Live Interactive Class Software
 Has extensive Courseware Development Experience

23.  Improving the teaching-learning process
 15-20 minutes daily live broadcast of lectures delivered by
excellent master teachers to ensure accuracy of content by
reducing/avoiding teacher misconceptions and textbook errors
 This provides a national standard for pacing of lessons. Schools
will know whether they are advanced or lagging in their lessons
and react accordingly.
 This ensures the quality of education received by all.
 They can easily be referenced either through the Intranet or
through internet.
 To reach 9 M illiterate youths and adults, who according to
DepEd, are impossible to reach without the aid of multimedia
technology.

24.  Frequent In-school “virtual” Training from certified experts
 Unlimited access to professional development materials
 Country-wide collaborative learning and courseware
development (learning from each other)

25.  Efficient Management Information System
• Data & reports will be received faster, monitoring can be done even
without leaving the office and issue/problems can be addressed
almost immediately.
 Cost-Effective monitoring and Internal Control system
• School-based management can be strengthened andtighter internal
control can be enforces.
 Empowerment and decentralization through connectivity
• Interconnectivity of all DepEd units will open new doors not just
for pedagogy and training, but for general management of schools
and entire bureaucracy.

26. Total School Beneficiaries:
37,794
Outside 1st and 2nd class cities
Total schools with satellite-based
facilities: 26,618
Elementary Schools: 22,855 (62%)
Secondary Schools: 3,763 (77%)
Additional 30% of elementary
schools through clustering
90% of all public elementary
and secondary schools stand to
benefit from the project.
Serving at least
13 MILLION students
and 800 classes for OUT-OF-
SCHOOL youth
Source:

27. INITIAL PROJECT INVESTMENT (Year 1)
$100M Chinese ODA + GOP Counterpart =
PhP5.8B
CYBER ED COST
PER PUPIL
Php1.22 per day
INTERNET CAFÉ COST
(unguided learning)
PhP 15.00 per hour
VS.
Source:

28. TOTAL INVESTMENT
(over 5 years)
PhP 26.48 billion
•Phase 1: $100M
•Phase 2: $200 M
•Phase 3: $150 M
Equipment
for Schools
68.57%
Equipment
for backbone
2.30%
Courseware
Training
Quality
Assurance
2.20%
Operating
Cost
12.66%
Duties and
Taxes
10.97%
Inflation
3.30%
Source:

29. TOTAL PROJECT INVESTMENT
PhP26.48B
5-YEAR AVERAGE YEARLY
COVERAGE
13.6 Million Students
5-YEAR
PER STUDENT COST
PER DAY
64 CENTAVOS
Source:

30.  The CEP is the largest among five contracts entered into by the
Philippines government with China costing a total of US$ 465.5 M or
P26.48 B. The project was sealed by Memorandum of Agreement
(MOA) signed by the GOP thru the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) Secretary Peter Favila and Dr. Jung of Tsinghua
Tongfang Nuctech Co. of China.
 86% of the total project cost will be funded via a loan from the
Chinese government while the remaining 14% will come form the
GOP national treasury.
 Bulk of the project cost 68.7% will be used for the purchase of
equipment while the remainder will be distributes as follows:
 12.66% - operating cost
 10% - taxes and duties
 3.30% - inflation
 2.3% - equipment
backbone
 2.2% courseware training
and quality assurance.

31.  In the analysis of the NBN and the CEP, UP professors Raul
Fabella and Emmanuel De Dios described how in some
inexplicable twist, the CEP was scaled up to entail a
government operated backbone which consequently amplified
its cost to P26.48 billion from its original no-separate backbone
project estimate of 5.2 billion.
 The same study criticized the project’s lack of an economic
rationale.
 To emphasize the magnitude of cost of the project, the P26.48
billion pesos could build 48,145 classrooms at P550, 000.00 per
classroom.

32.  The installation of computers and televisions including network
connectivity in 26, 618 public schools within 3 years by some 40
teams or around 1 school per team per day leaves little room
for error. However, logistics itself would already prove to be
troublesome given the actual locations of schools all over the
country.
 Given the number of teachers and students, will everyone be
able to use the computers to download lessons and learning
materials?
 The World Bank also says that it is unclear where to place the
computers to make sure they are used most efficiently.

33.  The courseware to be used is an equally important component
in the project which must be developed using the Philippines’
own curriculum in a particular subject area. The development
and production of each episode required close coordination
between curriculum experts, subject area specialist, and
production staff. Every episode had to undergo formative
evaluation and pretesting with teachers.
 As the CEP will use computers to provide real time interaction, it
is necessary that training be conducted to the teachers and
students who will be using the software and the hardware.
DepEd claims that out of 343, 628 nationally funded secondary
public teachers, 75,000 already received ICT training under
INTEL while 18,000 received training from Microsoft.

34.  DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus said that the Cyber Ed
Project would partially solve the shortage in books and
teachers.
 Director Lorenzo Mateo, who manages the cyber
Education Project, said that the Cyber Ed is the answer to
the problems of lack of learning and instructional
materials for students and costly teacher training. Also a
solution to the late transmission to remote areas of new
policies and memorandums.

35.  Mr. Conrado R. Banal III wrote at the Philippine Inquirer
that “ the project would use technology to save our
education system , which our neighbors have been using
for more than 10 years .”
 “The cyber education project of DepEd will dramatically
improve the delivery of quality basic education through
ICT to thousands of public schools in remote barangays”,
Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo

36.  The alliance of Concerned Teachers provided specific
details and situations to refute DepEd’s Claim:
• No studies on effectivity of live TV-based instruction
in basic education
• Real school situation: District, Sarangani School, 879
students, 27 teachers, 10 classrooms, 268 desk/chairs
1:32 teacher-pupil ration 3.28 pupil seating ration– 1
TV every 219 students impossible to provide for all
grade levels simultaneously clustering scheme to
pad the figures if implemented.
• No mention whatsoever of maintenance cost
• There’s no MOOE (maintenace and operations
funds) to keep it running.

37. • Over price
• It fails to address the roots of the problems in basic
education
• It lacks of transparency
 Martin Perez, an educator, had this reminder: a school is
not just a building, with rooms full of books and chairs. It is
also an integral part of a community, especially in rural
areas. Local government units must sustain communities
where children stay in school. There must be water,
electricity and food. The mere fact that a lot of schools
in our country lack these most basic necessities raises the
question of how responsive, practical and responsible
CEP can be

38.  SCRAP CYBER EDUCATION PROJECT – ANGARA
 Sen. Edgardo J. Angara said that more than 26 billion
allocated for the cyber Education Project of the
DepEd should be used to build classrooms, ease the
shortage of teachers, desks and textbooks instead of
wasting money on a “cyber white elephant.”

39.  Education is a long term play with no quick fixes. ICT is
only a tool and cannot fix bad educational philosophy or
compensate for bad practice. It is about the way we
structure learning and how we manage schooling. It is
about managing quality outcomes first and foremost.
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