What is the CyberEducation Project (CEP)?

The CyberEducation Project (CEP) is a US$465.5 million, or P21.4
billion (at $1=P46) project aiming to set up television production
and satellite broadcasting facilities in the DepEd offices and
public schools throughout the country.

It is the largest among 5 accords signed by the RP government with
China last April 21,2007, which costs $136.5 million, or P6.2
billion more than the highly controversial ZTE Broadband deal. The
project, which is set to be completed in three years, was sealed by
a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by RP Dept. of Trade and
Investments (DTI) Sec. Peter Favila and Dr. Jung of Tsinghua
Tongfang Nuctech Co. of China.

Eighty-six percent of the project cost or P18.47-billion will be
funded by a loan from China, while the remaining fourteen percent or
P2.9-billion will come from the national treasury.

While the ZTE Broadband deal has already been discontinued due to
its controversial nature, the CyberEducation Project is yet to be
scrapped and is still being pursued by the Department of Education
(DepEd).

Despite strong opposition from different groups, the DepEd maintains
its position that the project will be necessary to address the
problems hounding the education system. The CyberEd, DepEd insists,
is the "best response to the challenges of basic education."

What exactly will the CyberEducation Project do? How will it work?

Using the project's "advanced" technological infrastructure, the
DepEd will broadcast live TV shows daily, via 12 specially dedicated
video channels to some 37,792 or 90% of public schools nationwide.

Each classroom 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 to tens of thousands
of students simultaneously all over the country. The classroom
teacher and students watch the program, then spend the rest of the
time discussing and doing school work.

DepEd offices nationwide will also be inter-connected via the
satellite network. Wireless internet connection may also be provided.

In order to attain this, the DepEd will have to install TVs,
computers, and all necessary equipment in 34 schools daily for 3
years. Also, the DepEd will have to put up its own studio and
broadcasting center to produce daily live shows for 12 channels
covering five subjects each.

Why is there a significant opposition to the CyberEducation Project?
Why is the CyberEd controversial?

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers
(ACT), League of Filipino Students (LFS), Senators Legarda and
Angara, among others, including prominent bloggers, have expressed
opposition to the CyberEducation Project. Critics are pointing out
the following:

Lack of transparency

Like the ZTE deal, the CyberEd Project was signed in a hasty,
secretive and suspect manner. The official copy of the Memorandum of
Agreement was reportedly also lost, together with the original ZTE
contract. Until now, the government still have not produced a copy
of the MOA to respond to the investigations in Congress.

Details of how the project will be implemented and break down of
costs have not been fully ironed out, a matter that is highly
questionable for something that will cost billions.

Questionable endorsement by Neri

The project, like the ZTE deal, was also endorsed by NEDA chief
Romulo Neri, and like the ZTE deal, in a questionable manner. It was
reported that in past cabinet hearings and reviews, DOTC usec
Formoso expressed reservations about the project overlapping with
existing ICT projects and the NBN, an opinion that Romulo Neri
supported.

A few weeks before the signing, Neri changed his decision and
endorsed the project on flimsy grounds.

Too expensive and impractical

With the CyberEd's budget of P21.4 billion, the government could
construct 51,913 classrooms, hire close to two million new teachers
or buying 336 million chairs, or acquire 434 million new textbooks.
Or the gov't could just allot the same amount to provide full four-
year college scholarships to 1,085,000 students.

Knowledge Channel, a similar program, but not as ambitious is
technical scope, costs only $1,500 per school or only about P1.8
billion covering the same number of schools as the CyberEd.

According to experts, a satellite system will also be too costly and
impractical for such use, as there are other cheaper and practical
ways to conduct inter-connectivity and media sharing.

Cyber-Redundancy

The project will not utilize previous Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) infrastructure and projects, and will rely on its
own "backbone." It will not even be utilizing the facilities and
technology of the planned ZTE NBN project and will have a separate,
thus redundant infrastructure.

Even NEDA chief Neri, in a report, acknowledged this fact saying
that the "overlap" will, according to his computations, reach P4
billion to P5 billion. This was also the initial stand of DOTC Usec.
Formoso.

Impossible to implement

Installing the equipment (34 schools daily), producing daily live
broadcast shows for 12 channels (something that even ABSCBN and GMA
will have a hard time doing), training teachers and administrators
and adjusting the curriculum design to fit the scheme, will be a
hard task for an agency which cannot even ensure the correctness of
its textbooks and proper running of school toilets.

Most believe that this is an overly ambitious fantasy not fit for an
agency which, track record have shown, is not even capable of
addressing the most basic problems.

Not a solution to basic education woes

TV shows and tech babble will not solve the basic low-tech problems
of our educational system: low budget, classroom shortages, lack of
books and facilities, lack of teachers, mismanagement and flawed
orientation.

Another multi-million dollar racket for the Arroyo's and the boys

This overly ambitious, extra expensive, impractical and highly
questionable project will only be an additional burden to Filipino
taxpayers and will again make the youth and the entire education
system victim to the corrupt schemes of the Arroyo government and
her minions.

There is an explanation why Sec. Jesli Lapuz, Arroyo and her cabinet
insist on continuing with the project despite its obvious defects:
this project costs billions more than the ZTE, and that means
billions worth of more kickback. More money "for the boys" --- and
Gloria. #

Bloglinks:
http://tonyo. blogspot. com/2007/ 10/arroyo- must-not- cover-up- impose-
cyber.html
http://sirmartin. wordpress. com/2007/ 09/16/why- i-am-not- excited-about-
the-cyber-education -project/
http://davidllorito .blogspot. com/2007/ 09/technical- questions- on-
depeds-cyber. html
http://csrexpo2007. net/downloads/ ppt/DAY2/ Consortium_ Building_ Breakou
t/Education- ICT/Jess_ Mateo.pdf
http://activism102. wordpress. com/2007/ 09/21/cyber- education- project-
the-best-response- to-challenges- in-philippine- education/

News:
http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/breakingnews /nation/view_ article.php?
article_id=92399
http://www.manilati mes.net/national /2007/aug/ 08/yehey/ metro/20070808m
et1.html
http://www.manilati mes.net/national /2007/sept/ 26/yehey/ top_stories/ 20
070926top5.html
http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/breakingnews /nation/view_ article.php?
article_id=91128
http://newsinfo. inquirer. net/breakingnews /infotech/ view_article. php?
article_id=89650
http://globalnation .inquirer. net/news/ news/view_ article.php?
article_id=88617
http://www.deped. gov.ph/updates/ updateslinks. asp?id=182