“The use of ICT for education requires significant investment,” Luistro said during the opening of two-day Second Asia-Pacific Ministerial Forum on ICT Education (AMFIE). “It is heartening to note that many of the ICT companies focus assistance on education. But far from simply corporate philanthropy, inputs focused on education are social investments Friday for an enlightened and vibrant client base in the future.”
Luistro said that in the course of pursuing DepEd’s reform initiatives, many still ask why they take on even bigger challenges when the sector is already besieged with other concerns like lack of classrooms. “Talking about computers in the classrooms appears to be out of place when many of the schools still deal with challenges of having no electricity, communication and connectivity,” he said.
But “these concerns, however, should not be addressed by piecemeal solutions, but through a comprehensive package of interventions,” he said.
ICT in education, explained Luistro, provided an opportunity to bridge gaps not only in infrastructure but in the very same deficits and limitations mentioned that militate against DepEd’s reform initiative. “They provide the compelling reasons for making the changes and putting in the investments,” Luistro said.
The forum—attended by delegations from 20 countries, focused on the development, implementation and monitoring of ICT in education master plans and policies.
With theme “Evaluation and Assessment: Effective and Safe Use of ICT in Education,” the forum also served as the venue to engage different ministers responsible for education, senior officials and other policy-makers to dialogue on key issues relating to ICT in education; share experiences, good practices and lessons learned from programs and practices in their respective countries; and reflect on key issues and concerns on ICT for education as well as to plan future activities on application of ICT to achieve Education for All (EFA).
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Ina Hernando-Malipot
Quelle/Source: Manila Bulletin, 14.07.2011
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