Arroyo must not cover up, impose Cyber-Ed

Something smells like putrid sewer water in the GMANews.tv item which quotes Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo claiming that there is a need to “protect the cyber-education project from unnecessary controversy” soon after her administration got exposed in the ongoing National Broadband Network controversy.

Surely, Mrs. Arroyo feels a need to protect Cyber-Ed perhaps because bigger kickbacks and worse anomalies may be involved in this project. Funding for Cyber-Ed is pegged at $400-million dollars or more than the $329-million for the NBN. We can only speculate what hocus-pocus Arroyo henchmen made or are making behind the scenes to ensure that this project pushes through. It definitely means a bonanza for them. And that’s just for starters.

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño has blasted Cyber-Ed in a privilege speech and demanded that it be scrapped. Casiño argues that it is a huge unnecessary expense, a product devoid of consultations with teachers and students, and simply glosses over the more urgent

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers has also rejected Cyber-Ed, clearly unconvinced by Education Sec. Jesli Lapus’s assertions that it will be good for the educational system.

At the Senate, Senators Loren Legarda and Edgardo Angara have called for investigations on the Cyber-Ed.

In his blog Philippines Without Borders, journalist-researcher Dave Llorito poses technical questions on the Cyber-Ed and buttresses teachers’ objections to the project.

On such teacher is the man behind the Akomismo blog, who teaches scholars at the Philippine Science High School. In his initial research and comments, Sir Martz is not excited over Cyber-Ed’s promises.

Sir Matz cites four posts by A Nagueño in the Blogosphere as essential reads:

Given these, what Mrs. Arroyo should not cover up Cyber-Ed and impose it on the educational system. There are many valid questions that need to be answered — be in on funding, on the rationale, on the technologies to be used, on the logistical and administrative nightmares to be seen when it is implemented, and the very serious doubts on the alleged benefits to our young people.

Mrs. Arroyo must not deny the rights and prerogatives of the House, the Senate and, most importantly, the people who want to examine this project down to the last detail. That is part of democracy. Public funds and public interest are at stake.

There’s a lesson to be learned, and I just hope Mrs. Arroyo is a good student. Ditto for Secretary Lapus and other characters involved in this project.