Over 200,000 students in various public schools in the islands of Luzon, Palawan, and parts of the Visayas Region will soon benefit from the proven efficiency of the modern multimedia tools that Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI) has propagated for close to two decades.

The project entitled “100 for 100: The Knowledge Channel Project” is a partnership between Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc., Rotary International, The Rotary Foundation, and Rotary Districts 3830 (Philippines), 3620 (South Korea), and 3500 (Taiwan). It was launched in two phases: first on February 20 at Sto. Nino Elementary school in Paranaque, and second at the Muntinlupa National High School, Tunasan Annex, on March 3.

With the support of 60 Rotary Clubs, beneficiary public schools will receive educational television systems via SKY’s direct-to-home service, SKYdirect or ABS-CBN TVplus, giving them access to Knowledge Channel’s entire line-up of shows based on the K-12 curriculum of the Department of Education.

“With just one educational system, like a satellite dish or SKYdirect and ABS-CBN TV plus or a TV set, you’re already able to educate hundreds of thousands of students in many different subjects. Whether it’s English, Math, Science, Filipino, Araling Panlipunan; or all the different topics that are critical to a global Filipino like Reproductive Health, Peace Education, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Reduction,” said Rina Lopez-Bautista, KCFI president.
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Going beyond television

Knowledge Channel Foundation will also train teachers and principals on how to maximize the use of multimedia in the classroom through LEEP or Learning Effectively through Enhanced and Evidence-based Pedagogies, a teacher training program developed with Dr. Fe Hidalgo, former Secretary of the Department of Education.

“It’s very important for the teachers to be able to effectively use the multimedia learning resources by the Knowledge Channel,” says Lopez-Bautista. “There are a lot of new approaches in teaching that go beyond the blackboard. And being able to apply different strategies and methods in teaching is the key to learning.”

Rotarians reach out

Aside from the global grant given by The Rotary Foundation and Rotary International, Rotary Club members involved in the project will also volunteer their time to monitor, evaluate and help these schools. “What we are inaugurating today is more of a global brand project of The Rotary Foundation. Along with other organizations like Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc., we create various projects that involve several areas of focus. This one involves addressing the needs for basic education and literacy, thanks to Knowledge Channel,” said Red Laset, lead proponent of the project and president of the Rotary Club of Parañaque. Also present on March 3 were members of Rotary Club International District 3620 in Korea, including vice-governor Ag Jeon Yong-Chul who said that education is one of the most important tools for progress.

The scope of the project will involve public schools within Rotary District 3830 as well as in other areas outside the district and Metro Manila. Sto. Niño Elementary School and Muntinlupa National High School, Tunasan Annex are the first two in a series of schools to receive educational television systems.

TV for learning

Teachers and students at Sto. Niño Elementary School and Muntinlupa National High School, Tunasan Annex, expressed the importance and benefits of having access to quality educational multimedia resources especially in the age of media and technology.

“Alam naman natin na ang mga bata ngayon ay mas exposed sa media. Mas gusto nila ‘yung napapanood nila sa TV,” said Beth Jose, English and Science teacher at Sto. Niño. “As teachers, mas magagamit namin ito as motivation sa mga bata kasi nakikita nila ang natututunan nila sa TV. Malaki ang maitutulong ng project na ito, kasi ‘yung nakikita nila ay hindi lang panay books o sulat, may interaction talaga.”

The students at Muntinlupa National High school echoed the importance of technology for today’s generation of students. “Thanks to advancements in technology like this one, we students can learn better, and our teachers can teach better. As George Korough said: Technology will never replace great teachers, but technology in the hands of great teachers is transformational,” said grade 10 valedictorian Steven Lecitivo.

Founded in 1999, Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc., is the only non-profit organization in the Philippines that offers curriculum-based, multimedia educational resources, and professional teacher training to improve teaching skills, helping audiences learn better through technology.