• EDUCATION 0909
e :
..-.-A=
Beacon of Hope
ope Aoats for the out-of-
school youth and adults who
are given a chance to finish
their basic education and be
part of the new breed of ICTcompetent
workers through the eSkwela Project of me
Commission on Information and Com-
munication Technology (CICT), done in
close collaboration with the Department of
Education's Bureau of Alternative Learning
System (BALS).
Meet Flordeliza Dabuet, 26, a wife and
mother from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan.
At 14,shedropped our ofschool, citing lack
offamily finances as her reason. Flordeliza
eventually gOt married and had children, all
of whom are now of school-age. At present,
she runs a hou ehold with her husband,
raises her brood of three, and operate a
small home-based business, whilst going
ro chool, in an e kwela Center near her
place ro "make something of herself."
Flordeliza says (in Filipino): "I knew I
had ro do this for myself- my eldest child
is 15, and will be graduating from high
school soon. I want my kids ro be able
46 I Computerworld Philippines
through an e-Iearning module on "The
~~_ ..• ro ay that their mother has a
diploma, even a high school one,
so that we won't be looked down
upon - so mat nobody can be
snide and say, 'Well, your mother
didn't even graduate high school.'
And it gives me confidence - even
now, as a student, I can LIse my
knowledge and skill in conversa-
tions, with anyone, anywhere."
eSkweia Centers arecommu-
niry-based e-Iearning center mat provide
ICT- upported learning essions to ALS
learners who wi h ro gain relevant life
skills for personal growth, higher educa-
tion, or employment. Catering to the 57
out of every 100 rudenr who drop out of
formal basic education, BALS' Accredita-
tion and Equivalency (A&E) Program,
targeting functional literacy, gets a boost
from the eSkweia Project that uses ICT
to broaden access ro quality education as
well a makes learning fun, interactive,
and more engaging.
Learners, who come from diverse
social and economic backgrounds, un-
dergo a blended and self-paced approach
to learning. They are guided by trained
learning facilitators who design and u e
learner-centered lCT-supported module
guides mat engage the learners to actively
participate in their own learning proces .
Localized and interactive e-Iearning mod-
ules, various online educational tool and
resources, and project-based activities are
likewise available to make learning enjoy-
able and relevant to the learners' personal
lives, families, and communities.
A learner's typical e kwela ses ion
could go this way: he views a mu ic video
on "Masdan Mo Ang Kapaligiran." He
then learns about pollution and recycling
",' -
~,
. "'.
.
1
..
I
. .
Co t of Environrnenral Degradation". He
accesses the Web for information on me
variou effort on aving the environment
like: updates on Pasig River Rehabilitation
projects, raristics on Earth Hour 2008,
and imulation on me effects of Global
Warming. He proceeds to pOSt hi views
on a forum thread discussing different
forms of air pollution and possible solu-
tion again t these. Since it is online his
forum entries could be responded to by
another learner from his home center or
from another part of the country. For his
module project, he uses his cell phone to
record interviews and actual footages on
the community' recycling efforrs which he
uploads and shows ro his learn ing facilitator
as well as the public via YouTube.
EVIDENCE OF SUCCESS
Learners have me option to take the
A&E Test which, if they pas , would pro-
vide them with a Certificate equivalent to
an Elementary or High chool Diploma.
For the February 2008 A&E Test
( econdary Level), the four pilot e kwela
Centers boasted an average passing rate
of 57.30%, almo r double the national
average of29% for the purely print-based
approach. FortheOctober2008A&ETest,
Skwela posted an even higher 65.12%
average passlI1g rate.
Even with JUSt 10 current sites (located
in barangay hall, Community e-Cenrer ,
on top of public markets, etc.), e kwela
is the largest initiative of its kind in the
country. The effects of their efforrs are felt
where it matters most: in the marginalized
poor, with hou ewives, with me disabled
- sectors that have traditionally gotten the
short hrift in the one-size-fits- all arena
of formal education. In fact, the project
was cited by the United arions Educa-
tional, cienrific and Cultural Organiza-
tion (U ESCO) through a Certificate
of Commendation from me UNE CO
ICT in Education Innovation Awards
2007-2008.
 EDUCATION 0909 •

she applie for jobs. A WORK IN PROGRESS

A 56-year-old mother works for
her diploma as she and her daughter
go through e kwela sessions rogerher.
They enjoy using the e-Iearning
modules becau e of thei r multi media
e1emenrs and inreractiviry that have
omehow made learning more enjoyable.
"Every time we advocate ro rhe com-
munities, we always use e kwela as a
come-on ro our public," ay VilmaAruta.
Known as 'Teacher Vi" ro her students,
Mrs. Arura is one of the residenr mobile
teachers fielded by DepEd-BALS ro the
learning center. "First the idea of com-
puter-aided learning really excites rhem.
And the fact that rhe les ons are offered
for free - in rhese hard times, rhe fact
that education can be available ro them is
something that our learners cherish a lot.
Many of them have never even rouched
a computer before. Many of them had
Having served an estimated 1,254 given up on ever coming back ro school
learners from February 2007 ro Decem- again. Manyofrhem have abandoned their
ber 2008, the eSkwela Cenrers around dream . To say that they're excited about
the counrry are living testimonials ro the going back ro school again - and on com-
potential of ICTs in education. puters, at that - is putting it mildly."
A wheelchair-bound young paraplegic Learners do not have ro be leT-literate
thanked e kwelaforgivingPWD likehim when rhey apply for a slot at any eSkwela
a second chance at education. In 2008, he Cenrer - self-discipline and commitmenr
was among the rop ) 0 graduates at their ro learning are deemed more crucial. To
local ALS Commencement Exercises. He ensure basic computer skills, the learning
dreams of landing a scholarship and be- facilitarors or orher communiryvolunteers
coming an IT specialist in the future. provide short training courses on rhe use
A 65-year-old community leader of the mouse, keyboard, and basic brows-
would like ro finish her elementary and ing techniques just ro get the learners
high school degrees through eSkwela be- comfortable with the technology. The
cause she wanrs ro serve as a role model learners rhen get ro explore and gain other
ro her constituents, Further, she learned computer skills such as file managemenr
how ro surf rhe Inrernet and research on and productivity rools as rhey go rhrough
possible comrnuniry activiries and services rhe differenr eSkwela modules.
through eSkwela.
A 2) -year old
single morher wants
ro pass the A&E Test
and work on a college
degree to give her
five year-old child a
better life. She be-
lieves that the ICT
skills she has gained
through eSkwela
would be useful when
eSkweia is far from being a perfect
model. The enrire set of 280 core A&E
e-learning module and corresponding
module guides (covering both elementary
and secondary levels), version 1, will only
be available by March 2010. As such, rhe
currenr irnplernenrarions of eSkweia use a
combination of both the e-Iearning and
print-based varieties. The customized
automated system are likewise being
designed andlor developed. The learning
facilitators, de pire being very open and
flexible ro the elf-paced ICT-supported
approach, are going through a learning
curve. Various operating models are being
experimented on - i.e. LGU/barangay-
sponsored, civic group/N GO-sponsored,
Communiry e-Cenrer-based, internet-
cafe-based, school-laboratory-based
models - depending on the respective
commitments and resources of the host
communities chat are responsible for the
infrastructure, connectiviry, and sustain-
abiliryconcern of the cenrers. It is a work
Jl1 progres .
Despite thi , the project has been
fortunate enough to get the supporr
that it has gotten so far, with a number
of pledges coming its way. Bringing in
a deep sense of ownership as well as a
grounded beliefin the powers of collabo-
ration and synergy, these stakeholders see
eSkwela as a concrete step in innovating
education for the benefit of their local
communities ... and bringing hope for
the marginalized.
CICT and BALS target 230 new sites
by the end of 20 10, contributing to the
country's efforts in providing Education
for All (EFA) by 2015 .•