The Philippine Science High School (PSHS), together with ten other secondary schools, led the adoption of Google Apps for Education in K-12 institutions, a program which aims to extend communication and collaboration among students, faculty, and staff.
Google Apps for Education is a suite of free collaboration tools such as Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Google Sites, improving the education management systems of schools and universities.
The adoption by select high schools was formalized during the launch of ?K-12 Gone Google? program in PSHS, the country?s premiere science high school.
Over 4,700 students, teachers and administrators of PSHS across its 13 campuses nationwide are expected to benefit from the adoption of Google Apps. Using Google Apps will help streamline academic tasks and provide collaboration. PSHS also received a hundred tablet devices so students and educators can bring learning anywhere.
?The successful employment of Google Apps for Education to the whole PSHS system not only ensures a collaborative environment, but also brings in new learning horizons to students by enabling them to reach out to new knowledge beyond classroom settings. This is a clear step to aid the learning experience of our students and to achieve PSHS?s goal of being in ranks with the top science schools in Southeast Asia,? said Dr. Rod Allan de Lara, deputy executive director and OIC of PSHS System.
Joining PSHS are 30,000 potential users from 10 other high schools, namely, the Ateneo de Manila University-High School, Xavier University-High School, Paref Woodrose, Xavier School, Berkeley School, Immaculate Conception Cathedral School, St. Joseph Catholic School, Sto. Nino Parochial School, Our Lady of Hope Parochial School, and Holy Family Parochial School.
Since the Gone Google program was launched to universities in the country in 2012, two million users from 112 higher education institutions and K-12 schools have gone Google. The country?s entire education department, which includes the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Education (DepEd) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), have also migrated to Google Apps.
An estimated 150 schools with 2.5 million users are also in the process of deploying Google Apps in their campuses.
?By allowing more schools to gain tools that will provide them with an efficient instruction of learning, we secure an education environment where knowledge is readily available to many. Google commits itself to finding more ways on how to improve access to better education,? said Samuel Cheung, regional manager for Google for Education and Access Programs in Asia Pacific.
