The Asian Institute of Journalism and Communications (AIJC) and University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), active members of the Philippine Community eCenter Network and the CeC Academy, are among thirteen institutions worldwide chosen as recipients of the telecentre.org  Curriculum Commons Grant.

The grant  aims to improve the quality and standard of grassroots knowledge workers commonly referred to as telecenter (locally branded as Community eCenter or CeC) managers.The grant was announced during the inaugural address of D. Purandeswari, India’s Minister of State for Higher Education, at the eINDIA 2008 Conference held last July 29 to 31 in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

According to Dr. Basheerhamad Shadrach, Lead Program Officer for the telecentre.org academy initiative, the grant announcement was well received by telecenter organizations across the world, with more than 30 proposals coming from four continents submitted.

The entries were shortlisted for final selection by an expert committee composed of Ms. Karishma Kiri of Microsoft, Ms. Maria Teresa Camba of the Philippine Commission on ICT (CICT), Mr. Kiringai Kamau of VACID Africa, and Dr. Shadrach himself.

The telecentre.org Academy, an initiative that seeks to address the growing capacity needs of grassroots telecenter managers worldwide, is in the process of developing a “curriculum commons site” as an online repository and library of curriculum and training materials. The courses that will be developed under the grant will be made available for use of national academies worldwide. At present, there are ten national academies, including in the Philippines.

AIJC’s proposed curriculum deals with Knowledge Management (KM) for Community Development, while UPOU’s proposal is on Training of Trainers on ICT-Based Extension Management and Delivery.

Members of the Philippine CeC Network (PhilCeCNet) have congratulated both AIJC and UPOU. The success of the two institutions is considered a victory also of the entire PhilCeCNet and the telecentre.org–Philippine CeC Academy (tPCA). AIJC and UPOU are active members of both the network and the academy as well as staunch advocates of the national CeC program.

CICT Commissioner and NCC Director-General Angelo Timoteo M. Diaz de Rivera said, “Congratulations to AIJC and UPOU for the great work! This not only brings recognition to us but also ensures that the Academy will have access to a pool of curriculum for our CeC knowledge workers. Congratulations, too, to telecentre.org for coming up with this brilliant initiative.”  

The charter of the telecentre.org–Philippine CeC Academy (tPCA), the consortium of capability-building institutions involved in the delivery of ICT for Development and CeC-related training programs, has been ratified. The ratification was done on August 6, during a special meeting of the academy’s founding partners at the CICT-NCC office  in Quezon City.

With the charter in place, the tPCA can now focus on carrying out its mission of guaranteeing “the availability of highly competent knowledge workers for CeCs through collaboration of institutions unified by a shared purpose to optimize resources and ensure knowledge sharing in order to deliver continuous and relevant capability-building programs, research, certification and advocacy thereby enhancing productivity and sustainability of CeCs in the country.”

The tPCA will lead in the professionalization of knowledge workers for CeCs, primarily by developing and making available capability building programs and post-baccalaureate degree courses for CeC knowledge workers in coordination and in collaboration with its accredited members. It will also develop and implement an accreditation system and standards for courses to be offered by its members, and certify the proficiency of individual CeC knowledge workers on specific competencies required for specific jobs.

Present during the signing were Microsoft Unlimited Potential Group (UPG) Lead Mr. Samuel R.V. Jacoba II, University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Chancellor Dr. Grace J. Alfonso, Open Academy for Philippine Agriculture (OpAPA) Program Director Dr. Caesar Joventino Tado, NCC-Field Operations Office Director and Philippine CeC Program Convenor Ms. Maria Teresa M. Camba, Development Academy of the Philippines President Mr. Antonio D. Kalaw, Jr., National Telehealth Center Central Operations Coordinator Dr. Alex Gavino, and Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication President Ramon R. Tuazon.