iSchool labs Installation Completed

When the Principals of the recipient high schools received their computers, they were all smiles. But after the delivery, their smiles waned because all they could see are piles of boxes. They were instructed not to open the boxes and wait for technicians from Advance Solutions, Inc. (the supplier), to install/set-up the machines. It took a week, others 2 weeks, before the smile returned to their faces - this time a much wider and happier smile - when the ASI-partner technicians and the ISPSC iSchool project staff assigned, appeared in their respective schools to open the boxes and set-up the equipments. Finally, they could see, feel, and use their iSchools computers. What they have prepared for quite a long time finally materialized. Their hardships and sacrifices have been rewarded.

(more photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/24235885@N02/ )

The schedule of deployment was finalized by Engr. Evangeline Reyes and Ms. Cecilia Lazarte during the Midstream Planning Workshop at DAPCC, Tagaytay City. The schedule was disseminated to the project staff for their respective assignments. The principals of the recipient schools were then informed by the area coordinators of their schedule. Air21 was contacted by the project manager to confirm the schedules and itinerary of delivery. The ASI-partners were also contacted by the project manager to confirm the schedule of installation/set-up. However, there were some misunderstanding/problems regarding the agreed schedule with Air21. No SUC reps were sent to some schools because of sudden changes in the delivery schedule made by Air21.

The ISPSC Lab High School was set-up first on February 15, 2008. This was followed by 4 schools on February 21, 2008 - Narvacan National Central HS, Don Eulogio De Guzman Mem. NHS, Don Eufemio F. Eriguel Mem. NHS, and Damortis NHS-Patac Annex. The remaining schools were set-up on February 22, except for Batac NHS and ASIST which were done on Feb 23. The ISPSC project staff assigned to the different schools had many stories to tell regarding their experiences during the installation/set-up.

The installation schedule in some schools was delayed because of the scheduled accreditation of five degree programs of the College. The members of the iSchools project staff were assigned in different committees and were not allowed to leave the College during the preparation and actual conduct of the accreditation from Feb 8-15, 2008.

When first contacted, the ASI-partners provided by CICT could not be reached or were not aware of the iSchools project or ASI agreement. It was only a couple of days before the scheduled installation that the ASI-partners were confirmed and the final schedules were set.

There were some units that were found defective during the installation. In Magsingal NHS, one unit was defective. In Don Eufemio F. Eriguel Mem. NHS one unit has defective motherboard and power supply. In Dagupan City NHS, one unit did not function. These were recorded by the ASI-partner tecnicians for reporting to ASI and for repair or replacement. The units need also to be tested for one week (burn-in). The Principals and lab managers in each school were instructed to report to the project manager and the ASI partner technician any additional unit that are found defective during the burn-in.

The laboratory management assessment exam for the laboratory manager/s was also conducted in the respective schools during the laboratory installation/set-up.

After the installation of the iSchools labs in the recipient schools, a series of teachers trainings will follow. First will be the Computer and Internet Literacy Course, then the Laboratory Management Training, the Web Development Training, and the Library Management Training.

Delivery of PCs completed, installation to follow

Finally, Principals of the recipient schools are all smiles. The much delayed promised computers were delivered at last in their respective schools.

The equipment delivered consisted of 20 units workstations, 1 unit server, 1 3-in-1 printer, 1 multimedia projector, 1 wireless router, 1 speaker for the server, 1 webcam for the server and 20 headsets for the workstations.

The first deliveries were at Daniel Maramba National High School, Dagupan City National High School, Don Eufemio F Eriguel Memorial National High School, Damortis National High School, and ISPSC Lab High School on February 7, 2008. These were followed by deliveries on February 14, 2008 at Pagudpud National High School and Batac National High School; February 15, 2008 at Magsingal National High School and Caestebanan National High School; and February 16, 2008 at Ilocos Sur National High School, Narvacan National Central High School, Don Eulogio De Guzman Memorial National High School and Abra State Institute of Science and Technology. Project staff from the Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College were present at the recipient schools to check the boxes during the scheduled deliveries.

The installation of the computer equipment will be done by representatives/partners of Advanced Solutions, Inc., the supplier of the computer equipment. Schedules were already confirmed by Engr. Evangeline Reyes with the ASI partners for Region 1. Installation is scheduled from February 21 - 23 for all the recipient schools. Only the ISPSC Lab High School have been installed so far on February 15, 2008 by technicians from ProfCom, the ASI partners in Ilocos Sur.

The installation at ISPSC LHS took more than four hours. IT faculty members and BSIT students assisted in the opening of the boxes and installation of the PCs. The machines and components were tested and the technicians from ProfCom configured the wireless network. It took them more than two hours to configure the network and the printer. All the computers were found to be functioning properly. However, the iSchools stickers and installer CDs were not found in any of the boxes.

TENTATIVE DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE

Finally, the much awaited deployment of computer hardware for the iSchools has come. CICT has posted the tentative deployment schedule, and every recipient school is very eager to receive their set of computers.

Prior to the deployment, the computer laboratory must be ready with the prescribed layout. The recipient schools must also finalize their respective MOAs ready for signing.

The tentative schedule is from February 4 - 16, 2008. The details will be worked out by the SUC project managers during the Midstream Planning Conference on the last week of January.

After the deployment of the equipment, the rollout of the different teachers' trainings will follow. The schedule will also be worked out during the Midstream Planning Conference.

The 12 recipient schools of ISPSC are very eager to receive their equipments. They have prepared their respective computer laboratories since November last year. Some of the principals are losing hope that the project will push through, or are getting disappointed that their preparations will be in vain. But this time its for real. Each schools will be receiving 1 server, 20 works stations, 1 LCD projector, 1 multi-purpose printer, and wireless LAN. Add to that 2 airconditioning units.

Bidding for Internet connection transferred to SUCs

CICT will no longer do the bidding for the Internet connection of the recipient schools. This activity has been transferred to the respective SUCs because of various concerns raised by the Project Managers particularly the problem of having a single provider to cover all the schools.

After several revisions, the final MOA for the Internet connection transaction has been posted for signing. Provisions of the MOA include 1) Broadband connection to the wireless Internet laboratory of the recipient public high school will be paid by the project for the first 12
months of operations. The desired bandwidth should at least measure 1 Mbps burstible with a committed information rate (CIR) of 1:4, a specified amount of bandwidth on frame relay service, or whatever is applicable to the area; and 2) The public high school must also secure a Domain Name System (DNS), registering under the EDU.PH domain that will serve as their
global identity and for the use of the Project Monitoring & Evaluation Information System (PMEIS).

ISPSC is responsible for the Internet connection of 9 recipient schools in La Union, Ilocos Sur, Abra and Ilocos Norte, with a total budget of Php 611,424.00 as stipulated in the MOA. ISPSC is responsible for 1) the conduct of necessary assessment and evaluation for the most reliable
Internet Service Provider (ISP) within the area; 2) ensure that the assigned public high schools will get the most reliable and cost efficient ISP, and ensure that the Internet connection is
properly working as stipulated in the Agreement between the Internet provider and the school; 3) provide technical assistance to the assigned public high schools insecuring and registering their DNS; and 4) ensure that the public high school will be able to produce their school/community website that is UN-ASPA Level One compliant, one month after attendance to the website development training. This website shall then serve as the school’s global identity, thus maximizing the potential of their DNS.

Project closure activities

The “Project Closeout Activities” is part of the iSchools Project and will entail two levels of information processing, namely:
1) cluster meeting of ISPSC with assigned PHS to be attended by the principal, ICT coordinator of the school and DepEd ICT coordinator, which will be hosted by Benguet State University; and
2) workshop between CICT-HCDG’s iSchools Project Management Group (PMG) and the ICT Coordinators and other project staff of the partner SUCs to further discuss, process and integrate all gathered information during the cluster meeting which will be held at Vigan City hosted by ISPSC.

These activities hope to document all learning of the project for reference of future implementations. An operations manual that will document all the lessons learned, best practices, program and policy recommendations and action agenda shall be the output of related
activities.

Other activities include the provision of Domain Name System (DNS) for the ISPSC’s Laboratory High School that will serve as their global address as well as a monitoring tool for the web based Project Monitoring and Evaluation Information System (PMEIS); and the transfer of travel funds to all SUC and Public High Schools participants in the various iSchools
activities.

There will also be a midstream planning by the ICT Coordinators/Project Managers, another training for the writers in Iloilo, librarians' conference, an Educator's Summit at Bataan, and the Terminal Report Writing.

Dr. Rafael Querubin is new ISPSC president

Dr. Rafael B. Querubin, the Vice President for Administration, will assume as the second president of the Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College on January 1, 2008. Dr. Querubin bested two other candidates for the presidency, Dr. Zosimo Battad and Dr. Eugenio Orpia, when the Board of Trustees voted in his favor. Dr. Alejandro Directo, the outgoing president, will turnover the responsibility in simple ceremonies on January 7, 2007 when classes resume after the Christmas break.

No MOA with DepEd

Latest update from CICT

1. our negotiations with DepEd concerning iSchools 2006 FAILED, therefore NO MOA for our ischools 2006. this is because they insisted on changing some schools and you insisted on not changing the schools, which is also our Chairman's official stand ... and therefore sabi nga natin, its a CICT project and we have the final say. repercussions --- be transparent and inform your schools about this, dont expect for a memorandum endorsing the training programs so we must strategize as early as now. will a CICT-SUC invite to attend a training program is sufficient if not, they need to take a chance. but definitely all schools must send the appropriate pax to all training programs otherwise it will be grounds for changing them ----
   
2. list of 2007 is handed to us ... dont bother to collect names of school for now, its a PGMA directive to prioritize schools with less than 34 MPS. in this case less SUCs will do the rollout. as soon as the CICT secretary agrees to this (need to verify PGMAs written or verbal "utos") then we will post the list

Concerns for the iSchools 2006 implementation:

• would you like to handle the bidding for the internet connection
• can we pass the burden + funds for manuals shipping
• we will draft the consolidated MOA for this and will send early next week

Good news..

CICT has received the Notice of Cash Allotment..