CABANATUAN CITY—Microsoft Philippines has partnered with the Department of Education and the provincial government of Nueva Ecija to launch the EGG Project, which aims to provide public schools here a free and easier way to access the Internet as well as a command center that residents can use in times of natural disasters.
The launch of the EGG Classroom is in line with the DepEd’s study, which reveals that 29 percent or 13,500 out of 47,000 schools in the country has no computer laboratories, while 74 percent or 34,700 out of 47,000 schools has no access to the Internet.
Through the EGG Classroom, students can utilize 16 laptops plus one main computer with Internet connection for research and learning purposes, as well as access to DepEd content including subject curriculums.
According to Microsoft Philippines Managing Director Bertrand Launay, this move is Microsoft’s way of recognizing how digital transformation is inherent in education. The EGG Project is also the first education-related venture of Microsoft outside Metro Manila.
“There are still over 6,000 locations with no power and connectivity in the Philippines. In these off-grid locations, students trek long distances everyday just to get online to research important facts for their homework or get updated with the latest findings in science and technology and in current events,” Launay said.
“In a country with over 25.4 million learners, providing quality education for all remains a core objective of government regardless of where these bright, young Filipino minds are located,” he added.
Former governor Atty. Aurelio “Oyie” M. Umali said that in line with this noble goal of the government and the private sector, Nueva Ecija “has taken considerable efforts and devoted substantial funding to bring quality education for the citizens of the province.”
Umali said six EGG Classrooms and related equipment will be installed in the province.
“We can see how technology affects how we live, work, and interact with everybody. Now, we can see how technology can engage every student even though they live in an unconnected area,” Launay said.
“Launching the EGG Command Center in Cabanatuan, the Gateway to the North, is a great start to bringing quality education to every single Filipino wherever they are located,” he added.
Intended for disaster risk and recovery, the EGG Disaster Command Center is equipped with three computers. in which one unit is intended for weather updates. The EGG Disaster Command Center also has two hospital beds, and medical and fire safety equipment.
Both the EGG Classroom and EGG Disaster Command Center are housed in an air-conditioned container van-type space, has solar panels to store energy in their batteries, and can be lifted up to 1.7 meters to prevent them from drenching in case of flood.
The EGG Project is also designed to connect public schools within a 30-kilometer range with the use of TV white space, the unused VHF and UHF TV channels that can be used to deliver broadband access with speeds of up to 33Mbps, a better connectivity option for schools and residences far away from villages and telecommunications cell sites.
At present, the city of Cabanatuan has two EGG Classrooms and one EGG Disaster Command Center, both installed at the Old Provincial Capitol of Nueva Ecija on Burgos Avenue here and which can be transferred to wherever area in the province it is needed.