Feature Story

EVSU iSchools Project Team’s Sweet Journey

On the cold, early morning of June 5, 2008, two members of the iSchools Project Team of the Eastern Visayas State University headed towards Eastern Samar. They were on a quest to inspect the public high schools listed as possible recipients of the 2007 iSchools Project of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology.

Even the comforts of the newly purchased university vehicle, the calmness of the sea or the beautiful rock formations they saw along the coastal road didn’t stop the team from worrying on what their day would be like. They were on a blind journey.

After a couple of stop overs to ask for directions, they finally found their first school 500 meters uphill from the national highway. The road to Bolosao National High School is narrow and steep thus the team had to reach it by foot. The school doesn’t have any computers yet and after the principal gave the team the details they needed, the team set off to their next school.

They found Quinapondan National High School in the small town of Quinapondan without any problem at all, so they thought. But after introducing themselves to the principal, they realized they were in a wrong school. They were on the main campus while they were supposed to go to the annex campus located at the mountains of Anislag. They were discouraged to proceed to the place because of very, bad road conditions. Plus, they had to walk a couple of kilometers by foot, at some point, as it is un passable to the only vehicle that could reach the town – the habal-habal, a local term for a motorcycle for hire that could carry as much as 5 adults on a single trip. Police officers also cited the danger of visiting the place as members of the New People’s Army infiltrate the area.

Rain and hunger didn’t stop them from reaching Tagbacan National High School in the town of Salcedo and Bobon National High School in Mercedes. They were greeted with beaming principals who were thrilled to learn that they were possible recipients to the project.

Latelunch on the side of the road and the memory of the smiles on the faces of the principals and the teachers on the last two schools they visited brought back the enthusiasm of the team to go and proceed to the last school for the day. But the school is located on an island and one has to brave the big waves during the five- hour travel by boat. The island does not have electricity so it automatically disqualifies them.

Tired and weary, the team called it a day but they know that in the line of service, they will still be looking forward to a bright, new day to set forth another journey to other potential ischools project recipients.

Other related stories:

EVSU meets iSchool

Laboratory Inspection

Fifteen Public High Schools in Region 8 Made It!

The Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU)) project team inspected fifteen public high schools all over Region 8 from October 1-12, 2008. These schools initially made it to the list of qualified recipients (hyperlink) of the iSchools project of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT),

All public high schools completed the requirements and made it to the final list of recipient schools. Mrs. Ludina Oballo, the Principal of Granja Kalinawan National High School- Main in Jaro, a small town north of Leyte said, “ The iSchools project is so good that I had to do whatever I can do. I cannot let this opportunity pass by.”

The EVSU iSchool team (hyperlink) is composed of seven Instructors who passed the International Computer Driver’s License (ICDL).

Other related stories:

EVSU meets iSchool (hyperlink)

iSchool Project in Public High Schools: I Will Survive (hyperlink)

Computers Finally Reaches the Recipient Schools (hyperlink)

iSchool Training Components (hyperlink)

Other Links:

Laboratory Site Inspection Pictures (hyperlink)