Gnash/Flash video support -> Philippine CyberEd program

[Carlos Nazareno]

Hi guys. Can we try to get a little more support for Gnash + sound on
the OLPC for the purpose of Flash Video? Flash video is now the
de-facto platform for delivering video on the web, and the following
piece of news from the Philippines might be of interest. It's about
the Philippine Cyber Education program, and it also aims to deliver a
lot of video lecture content to public schools via web.

********************

(UPDATE) Arroyo: CyberEd project to push through
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=93359

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 11:28am (Mla time) 10/09/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Despite heavy criticism, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo said Tuesday that the government would push through
with the $460-million Cyber Education project and was planning to tap
the academe to ensure the project would suit the needs of the
students.

In her opening statement at the Cabinet meeting of the National
Security Council and the National Economic Development Authority,
Arroyo stressed that investments and infrastructure projects should
not be hindered by controversies.

"Hindi dapat mahinto ang imprastraktura at investment dahil sa mga
batikos [Infrastructure and investment should not stop because of
criticisms]," she said.

On September 22, Arroyo suspended the implementation of the Cyber
Education and the $329-million National Broadband Network projects,
blaming the "political noise" for her decision.

Last week, Trade Secretary Peter Favila said the broadband project
with China's ZTE Corporation would no longer be implemented, but that
the rest of the projects signed in China in April, including the Cyber
Education project, were merely suspended.

Asked to clarify if the President's statement's meant that she has
lifted the suspension on the project, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye
said Arroyo has given the go-signal for the review of the project.

The review of the project could eventually lead to the project's
implementation, Bunye added.

Arroyo said she has ordered the China Projects Oversight Panel under
Favila to ensure that the "very important project of Cyber Education"
would push through for the benefit of the millions of students.

"Kokonsultahin nila rito ang Education Task Force sa ilalim ni Father
Ben Nebres ng Ateneo, upang matiyak na sa alinsunod sa pangangailangan
ng edukasyon ang proyekto [They will consult the Education Task Force
under Father Ben Nebres of the Ateneo to ensure that the project will
meet the students' needs]," she said.

Arroyo also tapped the Procurement Transparency Group together with
the Civil Society for Procurement Reform to see to it that the
processes in completing the project would be open and transparent.

The Cyber Education project, to be undertaken in cooperation with a
Chinese firm, aims to bridge the learning gap between urban and rural
schools by using satellite technology to beam televised lectures to
students and teachers in far-flung areas.

The satellite-based distance learning program is capable of
broadcasting lectures by the best teachers from DepEd model schools to
other public schools nationwide.

The program, which targets a total of 37,794 public schools in the
next three years with an annual coverage of 13.6 million students, is
the "best thing to happen to Philippine education," according to
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus.
Originally posted at 11:29am

-- 
Carlos Nazareno
http://www.object404.com

interactive media specialist
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naz at zengraffiti.com