Sunday, January 6, 2008

iSchools beneficiaries to CICT:
‘Quando, quando, quando?’

The TCA- iSchools staff split to two groups (Tarlac and Pangasinan) last December 19, 2007 for its on-site visits for the following purposes:

*to monitor and evaluate the developments of the drafting of the Memorandum of Agreement between the recipient schools and their target stakeholders;

*to assess the readiness of the rooms intended for the computer centers;

*to personally explain what’s going on the project and what’s causing the postponement of the deployment of the project’s components.

After consolidating the reports of the two groups, it is found out that most of the target schools are more than ready, save for the MOA which were not yet signed by the congressmen in their respective jurisdictions.

When I arrive home, I was greeted by the melody from the old, faithful turntable, and I knew right there and then that my father is again down the memory lane, reminiscing his days. The almost-four decade-year-old phonograph record (cd is the modern counterpart) reads, “The Greatest Hits of Monroe, Humperdinck, Jones and Sinatra.”

I was reminded of the words from the people whom we talked as the as the music of “Quando, Quando, Quando” fills the house…

“Tell me when will you be mine?
Tell me quando, quando, quando?…”

Most of the school heads whom we have conversed with, stepped further than we have required of them. In the case of Pangasinan School of Arts and Trades in Lingayen, the ceiling of their center was made heat and soundproof. This they have done to economize with electricity since air-conditioning units are among the components of the project. This is also the very reason Pangasinan National High School has installed tiles on the floor of their laboratory. With the former’s heat-proof ceiling and the latter’s tiled floor, the use of the electricity for the aircon units will be minimized thereby saving money which can be used for other purposes.
“Will these efforts go futile? CICT, when will you deliver the PCs?” said Ms. Shernalyn Macob, PSAT’s ICT coordinator.

“…When wil you say ‘yes’ to me?
Tell me quando, quando, quando¿
You mean happiness to me
And please darling tell me when?
Every moment’s a day
Everyday seems a lifetime
Let me show you the way
To a joy beyond compare…”

Pangasinan National High School evidently lacks classrooms to accommodate its 5,241 students. Despite this, Dr. Aurora Micu, prinicipal, reserved and fixed one room for the computer center. If we are to estimate, PNHS has spent 50,000 pesos in its bid to retrofit its computer center with the specifications the CICT has set. Consequently, Mr. Richard R. Garcia, the ICT coordinator of the said school has been hearing taunts from his colleagues and the Parents-Teachers-Community Association. The amount that was spent for the project according to these “critics,” will only be wasted.
Apparently, they are losing faith with the CICT and TCA (as the local implementor of iSchools Project) save for Dr Micu and Mr. Garcia wisecracking,“Hindi ako nawawalan ng pag-asa. Mano ba yung maghintay? Gusto kong ipakita na hindi palpak ang project na to. Kailan nyo ba ide-deliver yung mga computers ? (I have not lost hope. There’s nothing wrong with waiting. I want to prove that this project is not a failure. When will you deliver the computers?) ”
Indeed, the impending deployment of the computers will make Mr. Garcia and Dr. Micu feel “a joy beyond compare.”

“I can’t wait a moment more.
Tell me quando, quando, quando?
Say it’s me that you adore
And then darling tell me when?”

Mr. Alfredo P. Galano Jr., ICT coordinator of Mangatarem National High School revealed that the cubicle units were specially ordered, costing 800 each. This is in anticipation of the forthcoming delivery of the PCs. MNHS tied up with the nearby communities to sustain the operation of the laboratory. Capability-building seminar-workshops such as “invitation-making” will be held in and hosted by this school after the delivery of the iSchool’s components.
On the other hand, Dr. Merlita A. Pasiliao principal of Labrador National High School headed the construction of a building intended to be the computer center. Bigger than the others, Dr. Pasiliao envisions this center to be the DepEd Division of Pangasinan I’s main ground for IT-related trainings.
With these lofty targets, we just can’t prolong the agony of waiting.

It would seem that these recipient public high schools have done their part for the iSchools. In my head, I could almost see the principals and the ICT coordinators singing in unison:

“OH, MY DARLING TELL ME WHEN?”

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