By: Amaryllis Rodriguez

A day after the coordination meeting last November 10, 2015, Ms. Aida Yuvienco, Director of IT Services of DepEd Central Office, visited some school district areas of Cebu City and Mandaue City Divisions which are recipients of the Department of Education Computerization Program (DCP). Johnnyline P. Jagdon, Information Technology Officer of the regional office together with some colleagues in the office accompanied the directress in search for updates on the Computerization Program initiated by the Department of Education to offer integration of different subject areas to information technology. DCP is an agency-initiated program that caters to the needs of not only Computer-related activities in schools but also to other academic subject areas such as Math, Science, and English. This program aims to collaborate other subject areas to that of the demands of a modernized society, equipping students to involve and educate themselves in the realm of technological changes. It is of paramount consideration that students get to experience and engage themselves in the modernized changes of the society; thus, DCP is created to uphold this consideration.

The visit began in the small portals of Lahug Elementary school where children greeted their visitors with a fluctuating intonation that goes “Good morning visitors. It’s nice to see you this morning.” The Directress with her colleagues went on searching for the laboratory where the computers donated by DCP were situated. Since familiarity is a bit of a problem, they ended up in a Science Class Computer Laboratory in a building’s highest floor. However, the panting and the climbing did not disappoint them. In fact, it gave them the chance to discover some of the sectional implemented curriculum in the school. It was a chance for them to personally and physically identify the current state and the needs of the school in the aspect of computer technology and its infrastructures. By location and designation of Computer classes for utilization, Computer Laboratories are utilized based on grade levels and sections. Special Science classes (SSES) from Grades 4-6 are designated to utilize the computer laboratory on the fourth floor. Grades 1-3 are assigned to use computers for their Computer classes on the second floor known as the N-Computing Lab in another building. Beside the N-Computing Lab is where the computers provided by the DepED Computerization Program (DCP) are housed. It is considered by the school as their E-classroom whereby teachers of different subject areas utilize these computers and integrate their lessons with the usage/accompaniment of the web/internet/computer technology. In the computer laboratory for the SSES, 20 units are functional and 3 units are connected to the internet. One printer is available. Some CPUs are compacted and according to Mrs. Sheila Van Sandt (Computer teacher), these compacted CPUs are donated by Yeong Yun from South Korea. In exchange of the donated CPUs, some Koreans tune in to virtual sessions in some of the English classes of the school. An hour passed and the team also needed to come in contact with other schools which are recipients of the DCP; thus, they headed then to one of the central elementary schools in Mandaue City Division.

From the small portals of Lahug Elementary school, they went straight ahead to the retro-inspired establishment of Mandaue City Central School where simplicity and humility are reflected in the eyes of both the students and the teachers. They were welcomed by the school’s principal, the designated IT Officer of Mandaue City Division, Jaypee Mañago (Designated ITO of Mandaue City Division), and Loyd Romeo, the Computer teacher of the school. It was evident that they have greatly appreciated and utilized the computers due to the documentation files and portfolios they shared to the visitors. Some of the activities in their E-classroom include the following: MCCS receives and installs the E-classroom package, ICT Training/ Orientation of the DepEdCP, Face to Face Lecture and Hands on Training, Discussion using Interactive White Board, Hands on the Interactive white board, hands on the E-class package, keyboarding Practice with the interactive white board.

As it is with a dual purpose of the visit and on how the visitors deemed for an opportunity to hear some of the cries of these elementary schools especially on the need for additional items and the need for replacement of some items. Some items were found to be defective and dysfunctional during the visit. In another school district in Mandaue Division which is the Basak Elementary School, some monitors do not function anymore. And to address the dysfunctionality, they agreed to trace the procurement batch of these items to tend for their warranties.

The next on the itinerary was the Mabolo Elementary School. It gave the visitors a peek on how the computers are utilized by both the teachers and the students in different subject areas. Further, the computers of the DCP are all the more useful for the TLE teachers and their students especially in the quality of outputs they need to produce for the class.

The last stop was in Abellana National High School where more computer items are housed. These computers, according to Mrs. Juanita Geraldez, are utilized for researches, individual homework activities and projects of the students. This is a better alternative than having them pay a dime to internet cafes and subtly exposing them to video games and cutting classes. Thanks to DCP for they do not have to be in that situation anymore.

This was then the best time for the Directress to check on how one of their initiated-programs worked out for its clients. Hence, this was also then the most appropriate time to fend for more improvements on the cons of the program. Check and balance has brought forth an investigation to welcome more developments in the future years of the Philippine education. Now, it is safe to say that the visit and the ride were all worth it.