Sky and Knowledge Channel Share ‘Gift of Knowledge’ to Batanes

Batanes, June 13, 2017 – The first television channel to reach the distant province of Batanes, Knowledge Channel returns to this breathtaking island-group, this time with SKY, and donated educational television systems to the public schools here.

Basco Central, Diptan, Mahatao, and Ivana elementary schools in Batanes are again benefiting from Knowledge Channel’s rich curriculum-based videos seen via SKY’s Direct-to-Home (DTH) TV service, SKYdirect.

“Education is an identified need in our society today and SKY has a unique opportunity to provide access to content together with Knowledge Channel,” said Antonio S. Ventosa, SKY Cable Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer. “I wish that we’d be able to reach out to as many schools as possible in the Philippines. That would really be a good achievement.”

Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc. (KCFI) Founder and President Rina Lopez Bautista for her part said that new technologies have enabled Knowledge Channel to reach more. “SKYdirect is a very important platform for us because it allows us to be anywhere in the Philippines with only a small satellite dish and a box. Students, teachers, and even communities can learn so much from our educational videos,” Lopez Bautista said.

Watch: KCFI and SKY’s Batanes launch featured on TV Patrol

ETV Transforms Batanes

Learning with the Knowledge Channel is not something new though for the children and teachers of Batanes.  More than a decade ago, Knowledge Channel was instrumental in the more than 20% increases in National Achievement Test average MPS in Valugan Elementary School, Basco Central Elementary School and Basco Science High School.

Abegail Farrah Alueta, grade four teacher of Diptan Elementary school in Basco, said Ivatan families value education. “It is natural for Ivatan children to be studious. With new available technology, their interests [in learning] are expected to improve,” said Alueta.

Prior to the turnover of Knowledge Channel facilities of a 40” LED television, a set of external speakers, and a SKYdirect satellite dish, Former Secretary of the Department of Education and now Knowledge Channel Consultant for Education, Dr. Fe Hidalgo, who is an Ivatan herself, and KCFI Director for Operations, Edric Calma conducted a training on Maximizing Knowledge Channel in the Classroom for the teachers of the four beneficiary schools.

Today, Knowledge Channel is viewed by over five million learners in 72 provinces in the country.