Memorandum Circular No. 54




MALACAÑAN PALACE MANILA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES [ Memorandum Circular No. 54, February 2, 1999 ] DIRECTING ALL CONCERNED AGENCIES TO IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENT EDUCATIONAL MODERNIZATION PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES THROUGH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT), PARTICULARLY IN THE APPLICATION OF IT-BASED STRATEGIES IN MAJOR PHASES OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS’ OPERATIONS, INSTRUCTION, RESEARCH, EXTENSION, MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT In order to support the objectives of government towards providing up-to-date educational reforms, as well as developing IT-related teaching methods and processes at all school levels to improve the effectivity of the national teaching and learning processes, all concerned agencies directly related to education, including state universities and colleges, are hereby directed to utilize IT-based strategies in the implementation of their educational modernization projects and activities. Emphasis is placed in the application of said schemes in the major phases of the educational institutions’ operations, instruction, research, extension, management and support. Furthermore, in the implementation of such projects and activities, the concerned agencies and institutions shall rationalize the utilization of their existing resources and services to promote priority education projects and activities such as the open system of education, the operation of distance education, and the development and interconnection of information resource centers, tele-mentoring, on-line group discussions, electronic discussion lists and electronic billboards.1âшphi1 In order to avoid duplication or overlapping in the use of IT resources, and thereby harmonize and provide a sharing policy among the various educational programs of concerned institutions, close consultation and coordination among them must be maintained utilizing, as practicable as possible, the interconnection provided through the Internet. By virtue of their manpower expertise and comparative edge in resources vis-a-vis other agencies, the higher educational institutions are hereby enjoined to provide the leadership and direction in implementing the provisions of this directive. All concerned agencies and institutions shall utilize all means possible, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations, in order to raise the necessary funding support for the above projects and agencies, including, but not limited to, the utilization of their respective agency appropriations and the formulation of Build-Operate-and-Transfer (BOT) or Lease-Buy schemes and other joint-venture undertakings. BY AUTHORITY OF THE PRESIDENT: (Sgd.) RONALDO B. ZAMORA Executive Secretary FEB 2 1999 The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation