CBCP: Catholic schools to use Google Apps this year

Catholic schools are adopting Google Apps for their communication systems starting this coming School Year 2013-2014, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has said.

 

The CBCP said the members of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP), would no longer need to spend for an information technology infrastructure.

 

"In using Google Apps for Education, schools could adopt an internal email system among its administrators, teachers and students for free," the CBCP said.

 

CEAP entered into an agreement with Google to provide free access of Google Apps for Education to all member-schools. The CBCP said the agreement was forged December 11, 2012.

 

Janet Yoon, head of Google Apps Supporting Program for the Philippines (GASP), Google commits to provide CEAP member-schools with:

 

 

“Google will provide free deployment support, technical consulting, and training for schools interested in adopting Google apps for education as part of its strategy to develop accessible, reliable, and sustainable Internet ecosystem,” she added.

 

On the other hand, CEAP Vice President Fr. Antonio Moreno lauded Google for its initiative to help schools communicate with its students, faculty and administrators without the cost associated with corporate email solutions.

 

“We are glad to let Google do what it does best: provide us with innovative technology, so we can do what we do best: educate and form our students,” Moreno said.

 

The CBCP noted Google Apps for Education is being used by internationally acclaimed schools such as the University of Notre Dame in the United States of America, ESSEC Business School of Singapore, and the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom

 

Rollout

 

Moreno said the CEAP National Office will organize a CEAP IT Committee to oversee the rollout of the project with Google.

 

Initially, at least 10 CEAP member-schools will enlist with Google for training this month.

 

The first batch of deployment is targeted to starts at the beginning of School Year 2013-2014.

 

“We expect the schools who will sign up to give its full commitment, in terms of leadership support and time, for the success of this project,” he said.  — TJD, GMA News