Laying EGGs to boost countryside education

A self-contained classroom, aptly named EGG, will be sent to remote areas through a partnership between the Department of Education (DepEd) and Microsoft Philippines.

The education capsules seeks to bring quality education in far-flung areas that have no electricity or connectivity.

The EGG can be transported to remote areas and generate its own water and power system and has internet connectivity.

The EGG can accommodate more than 30 students and can be easily set up within three days and is an innovative approach that addresses the archipelagic nature of the country, where delivering education to every nook and cranny is a real challenge.

The EGG can be dropped off by helicopter, truck or boat anywhere in the country, and can be set up by the villagers themselves.

“We believe now is the perfect time to fully harness the power of technology and help Filipinos acquire a 21st-century education through connectivity for all and Microsoft is glad to be spearheading this initiative with the DepEd,” said Karrie Ilagan, general manager for Microsoft Philippines.

The EGG is equipped with information-technology tools that aid both students and teachers. It can serve as an independent classroom or can be connected and stacked together with other EGGs to form clusters, pop-up classrooms, or a whole school.

It has adaptive reuse and can also be used as a storm shelter for the areas where these are deployed.
The EGG generates its own power through solar panels found on top of its roof and collects rainwater that can be used to irrigate the land it is on or to be filtered as drinking water.

To further provide students with quality learning tools, the EGG is connected to the internet via TV White Space, the unused VHF and UHF TV channels that can be used to deliver broadband access over wider areas.
Its excellent range and obstacle penetration characteristics make it a better option for connectivity in the provinces where schools are far away from telecommunications cell sites.

The first EGG will be launched in Bohol in July. More EGGs are expected to be deployed as the DepEd looks to implement them in provinces across the country.