Narrowing the gap between the information rich and the information poor :
New technologies and the future of the school

The Knowledge Channel

Philippines

The Knowledge Channel is an all-educational television channel on cable whose programs are curriculum-based and intended to supplement public grade and high school education in the Philippines. It is a project of Sky Fondation and the first one in this country. Its goal is to equip its beneficiaries with better education as a means to improve their lives.

The program obtains TV program materials from local and international sources and matches these to the existing curriculum of public grade and high schools.
It produces audio-visual program materials for subjects endemic to the Philippine educational system such as (but not limited to) Philippine history, geography and art. This also involves the production of others educational materials which promote good values.
Besides, free cabling are made available in 41,450 cableable public schools nationwide and satellite dishes and receivers are provided to remote uncableable schools.
This program also offers the training of principals and teachers on the proper utilization of the channel ; and the development, printing and distribution of calendar and program guides and teaching aids to them ( Key to teaching ).

The project aims to improve the quality of public grade and high school education by providing universal access to quality and relevant education through the creative use of audio visual production and transmission technology. The project focuses on this topic because of the deficiency in quality education seems to contribute directly to the perpetuation of poverty in this country.

Doris S. Nuval
Resource Mobilization Manager
Sky Foundation, Inc.
Doris_S_Nuval@sky.pinoycentral.com

Institutional Partners
Department of Education, Culture and Sports
Philippines

Financial Partners
Funding Agency

Late 1999

Evaluated by a commissioned research body. Partial results are out and basically point to a positive picture of acceptance of the channel and usage of its programs.