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SAc2.0:AmplifyingSocialAccountability(SAc)through

InformationandCommunicationTechnology(ICT)1

by:MarlonL.Cornelio2

Synopsis

TheexperienceofCheckMySchool(CMS)andUniversidadCoherente(UC)showcase

howICTcanbeusedtoamplifysocialaccountability(SAc)towardsimproving

pubiceducationservicedeliveryintheelementary,secondaryandtertiarylevels.

However,CMSandUCalsoshowthatwhileICTprovidespowerfultools,thereare

basicprinciplesthatshouldbetakenintoaccounttofullyutilizeICT.Asanyother

effectiveSAcinitiatives,governmentopenness,accesstoinformation,organized

andcapablecitizengroups,andcultural-sensitivityandcontext-appropriateness

areneededasenablingenvironments.UseofICTtoolshavetobecomplementedby

offlineactivitiesorgrassrootsorganizing.

CMSandUCaretwoofthemanyinnovativeprojectsofmembersoftheGlobal

YouthAnti-Corruption(GYAC)network,whichiscomposedofyoungpeople,young

activists,journalists,artists,musiciansandICTenthusiasts.GYACprovidesa

platformforyoungleadersfromnorthtosouthtoshareexperiences,strategies,

tools,andlessonsinfightingcorruptionandpromotinggoodgovernanceintheir

countries.

Introduction

Thedawnofaninformationandcommunicationtechnologyera,alongwithitscontinuousunfolding,isredefiningboththewayofthinkinganddoingthings,

evenpersonalrelationships.Inthesamemanner,ICTisalsoredefining

governance,participationandaccountability.

The2011OsloGovernanceForumoftheUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgram

takeson,asoneofitsmajortopics,ICTandgovernance.Whilethedebatesare

ongoingonthebaneandboonofICTondemocracyanddemocratization;youngpeople,naturallypredisposetoICT,havetakenstepsindevelopingtoolsandshowingpracticalapplicationsofICTingovernance.TheroleofICTintheArab

springisacommonexample.

1AnarrativeofthepresentationgivenduringtheOsloGovernanceForum(OGF):Participation,

Accountability,Democracy.3-5October2011.VisitOGFwebsiteat:www.oslogovernanceforum.com

2MarlonL.Cornelio,ayouthactivistfromthePhilippines,istheICTConvenorandoneofthefounding

membersoftheGlobalYouthAnti-Corruption(GYAC)Network.MarlonwasYouthCoordinatorofANSA-

EastAsiaPacific,wherehewaspartoftheteamdevelopingCheckMySchool.InGYAC,heclosely

collaboratedwitharepresentativefromUniversidadCoherente.Sendcommentsandqueriesatcornelios25@gmail.com

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ThisshortpaperpresentsexperiencesofCheckMySchool3oftheAffiliated

NetworkforSocialAccountabilityinEastAsiaPacific(ANSA-EAP)4andUniversidadCoherente5inPeru.Thetwoinitiativessharecommonalitiesinthe

useofICTinsocialaccountabilityinitiativesforbetterpubliceducationservicedelivery.CheckMySchoolfocusesonelementaryandsecondaryeducation,while

UniversidadCoherentefocusesonbudgetandfinancialmanagementofstateuniversities.Thesetwoinitiativesarethemodels,intheapplicationofICTineducationmonitoring,beingsharedintheGlobalYouthAnti-Corruption(GYAC)6

Networkplatform.

TheGlobalYouthAnti-CorruptionNetwork(GYAC)

TheGlobalYouthAnti-Corruptionnetworkiscomposedofyoungpeople,youngactivists,journalists,artists,musiciansandICTenthusiasts.Fromalloverthe

globe,northtosouth,youngleaderscometogethertoshareexperiences,strategies,toolsandlessonsinfightingcorruptionandpromotinggoodgovernanceindifferentcountries.Thisisdoneinaprocessthatyoungpeople

caneasilyrelateto,liketheuseofmusicandthearts.Asanexample,in

partnershipwithJeunessMusicaleInternational,aglobalanti-corruptionsongcompetitionFairPlay7,isconductedannually.Musiciansfromallovertheglobe,

composeanti-corruptionsongs,producemusicvideosanduploadtheminyoutube.Thisisanattempttocreateawarenessonandmainstreamgovernance

issuesamongtheyouth.AnotherexampleistheGlobalYouthAnti-Corruption

Forum,wheretheFairPlaywinnersparticipate,alongwithotheryouthanti-corruptionadvocates.Duringthisforum,GYACmembersandinvitedexperts

proudlypresenttheirlatestinnovationsindoingworkintheircountries.Theyopenlyandgladlysharehowtheydevelopedtheirprojects.Inthisprocess,

youngpeoplelearntogetherandevensharpentheirtools,andinnovateeven

more.

PillarsofSocialAccountability

AswhatishighlightedinOGF2011,corruptionwillnotbeminimizedandgood

governancewillnotbeachievedwithoutoneveryimportantcomponentthecitizens,thegoverned,andthesovereignwherewhichthepowerresidesand

accountabilityoriginates.Theinclusionandemphasisofcitizenparticipationin

governanceisreferredtoassocialaccountability.

Socialaccountability,asdefinedbyANSA-EAP,refersto:

Organizedandcapablecitizensengagingconstructivelywithgovernmentto

monitoritsdecisionsandactionstowardbetterdeliveryofpublicservices,

improvementofpeopleswelfare,andprotectionofpeoplesrights.

3www.checkmyschool.org4www.ansa-eap.net

5www.universidadcoherente.org6www.voices-against-corruption.ning.com7www.anticorruptionmusic.org

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Thisdefinition,necessitateswhatANSA-EAPcallsfourpillarsortheenabling

environmentforsocialaccountabilitytobeeffective:

1. governmentopenness2. organizedandcapablecitizens3. accesstoinformation4. culturalsensitivityandcontextappropriateness

Itisimportanttoconsiderthesepillarsone-by-one.

Governmentopennesspertainstolawsandmechanismsthatenablecitizen

participation,thatbringbackthepowertothepeopletoexactaccountability

fromitsleaders,fromthegovernment.Italsopertainstoagentsinsidegovernmentorchampionsthatadvocateforsuchandensuresthatthisprinciple

isobserved.

Citizenshavetobeorganizedandcapableinordertoengagegovernmentandits

processes.Thismaycomeintheformofnon-governmentalorganization,thecivilsociety,fromthewellestablishedtothecommonparents-teachers-and-

studentsassociation,oraneighborhoodassociation;even,andasimportantly,

organizationsofyoungpeople.Asidefrombeingorganized,groupsmusthavethecapacitytoengagewithgovernment.Theymustbefamiliarwithits

processesandequippedwithdefinedagendaandnecessarytools.

Theengagementbetweengovernmentandcitizensforittobeconstructivehas

tobebasedoninformationoraccesstoinformation.Accesstoinformationisessentialinconstructiveengagement,whichasdefinedbyANSA-EAP,hasthe

followingcharacteristics:

- betweengovernmentandcitizens- evidencedorinformation-based- resultorsolution-oriented;and- sustainedandsustainable.

Thenecessityoflawsthatguaranteefreedomoraccesstoinformationis

emphasizedhere.Includedinhavingaccesstoinformationishavingthemeans

tounderstandanduseit.Intheexamplesdiscussedbelow,aswellasmanyotherfruitfulengagementsbetweencitizensandgovernments,accessto

informationwaskey.

Therearemanytoolsandmechanismsavailabletopromotegoodgovernance

andfightcorruption.Andinthese,the3previouspillarsarepresent.Butonceadaptedorimplementedinaparticularlocale,therearehighchancesthatitwill

faillackingoftheoutputsexpected.Cultural-sensitivityandcontext-

appropriatenessisthefourthpillarthatshouldnotbemissedout.Asanexample,inthecontextofyouth,youngpeoplewillusuallyautomaticallyveerawayfrom

theseeminglyhighlytechnicalandjargon-filledgoodgovernanceprocesses.Theyhavetobeengagedusingtheirownlanguageandreachedusingissues

thatareatthetopoftheirconcerns.

ThesepillarsarevividlyvisibleintheexamplesofthetwoinitiativesfromGYACmembers:CheckMySchoolinitiativeofANSA-EAPinthePhilippinesandthe

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UniversidadCoherenteprojectinPeru.PrimarilyemployingICTbothprojects

aimtoimprovethequalityofpubliceducationservicedeliveryinthetwocountries;thefirst,inbasiceducation(elementaryandsecondary)andthe

secondintertiarylevel.

UniversidadCoherente

Studentsnormallycomplainaboutthepooraccesstoandqualityofeducation.Studentscomplaintsareusuallymanifestedindemonstrations,oftenleadingto

violenceanddestructionofschoolproperties.Schooladministratorsand

government,ontheotherhand,reasonoutthattherearelimitedgovernmentresources,andmeagerbudgetcanbeallottedtoeducation.Student

demonstrationsarealsometwithanti-riotpolicesquadwhilecomplaintsaredismissedasyouthfulangsttoblamegovernment,andunsubstantiated.Atthe

endoftheday,therealproblemismuddled,nosubstantiveengagementandviablesolutionsarepresented.

UniversidadCoherente(UC),foundedin2007bystudentsandyoung

professionals,takesstepstoaddressstudentredressandfacilitateaninformation-basedengagementbetweenthetwoparties.

Figure:UniversidadCoherenteStrategy

UniversidadCoherenteemploysathree-prongedapproach.First,itpromotesefficiencyinthemanagementofuniversitiesbytrainingauthoritiesandofficials

ontheissueoftransparencyandaccesstoinformation.Second,itpromotescivilsocietyandstudentmonitoringofuniversities,byusingICTandbringingissues

tomedia.Finally,itprovidesorganizingandcapacitybuildingforuniversity

studentstostrengthentheirleadershipinpromotingtransparency,accesstoinformationanddemandingaccountability.Beforezooming-intothe

employmentofICTtoolsandothermedia,itmustbenotedthattheseapproachesareinterrelatedandinterdependent.

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Utilizingtheaccesstoinformationlaw,UCconvertsinformationfrom

governmentagenciesintoinfographics,whichareeasilyunderstandableandusefultostudents.CoupledwiththeuseofICT,infographicsbecomeviraland

elicitattentionofanddiscussionamongstudents.InthewebsiteofUC,studentscanclickonamapofPeruwhereallthepublicuniversitiesareplotted.Inaclick,

studentshaveaccesstoinformationpertainingtothenumberofstudentsenrolled,theschoolbudget,andtheaveragegovernmentspendingperstudent.Likeinclass,studentscancomparenotesonwhichuniversitieshavethemostor

leastnumberofstudentscorrelatedwiththeiruniversitybudget.Visually

revealingisthedisparitybetweenspendingperstudentinthedifferentuniversities.Studentsattentioniscaught,whileatthesametimequestionsare

beingformedintheirminds:Whyisthegovernmentspendingmoreorlessperstudentcomparedwiththespendinginotheruniversities?Whereandhowisthe

budgetspent?

Figure:(above)TheUniversidadCoherenteonlinemapplottingthe35public

universitiesinPeru.(below)Informationonaparticularuniversitiesstudent

population,budget(greenbar),averagespendingperstudent,andunutilized

budget(redbar).

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Figure:AnInfographiccomparingtheaverageperstudentspendinginthe35publicuniversitiesinPeru.

OneparticularlystirringfindingofUCisthehighpercentageofunutilizedbudget

amongsomestateuniversities,whileeducationservicesarelackingandteachers

receivedismalsalaries.UC,withinformationaccessedfromgovernment,alsoshowstheincreaseinbudgetofstateuniversitiesovertheyears.Ontheother

hand,studentsobservethatwhiletherewassubstantiveincreaseinbudget,

therewasnomarkedimprovementintheiruniversity.Studentscomeupwith

moretoughquestionsbackedupwithinformation.

UCalsocameoutwithareport,Towardsatransparentuniversity,onthe

complianceofpublicuniversitiesontheaccesstoinformationandtransparency

law.Ofthe35publicuniversities,only1meetwiththestandardsoftransparencyprescribedbylawand3universitiesmeettheTransparentPortalStandardset

bythegovernment.

WiththeinformationmadeaccessibleusingICT,studentsstartedaskingtheir

schooladministrationsquestionsashowofinterestandabeginningofconstructiveengagement.Insomeinstances,aseriesofdemonstrationswere

heldtodemandgreateraccountabilityandtransparencyonuniversitybudget.

UCemphasizesthatcitizensneedtocollaborateandtoimprovetheiruniversity;

whileatthesametime,challengesuniversityauthoritiestodemonstrateareal

commitmenttoimprovinglevelsofefficiencyandqualityofitsmanagement.

CheckMySchool

InthePhilippinesandamongdevelopment-workerscircles,abuzzsbeing

generatedbyaninitiativethatpromotessocialaccountabilityandtransparency,

onceschoolatatime.ThisinitiativeiscalledCheckMySchool(CMS).

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Figure:Ascreenshotofthehomepageofwww.checkmyschool.org

WhileCMSisverynew,ithasaverylonghistory.Missingoutonitscontextwilllimitonesunderstandingontheinitialsuccessandmanypotentialsofthis

project.CheckMySchoolprojectwasstartedin2009andformallylaunchedin

2010.However,itsfoundationhasbeenlaidasearlyas2001.Duringthattime,theDepartmentofEducationCultureandSports(DECSnowDepartmentof

EducationorDepEd)waslabeledastheoneofthemostcorruptinstitutionsinthePhilippines.DepEd,withthebiggestgovernmentbureaucracyandprimarily

in-chargewiththeeducationofFilipinoyouth,wasabigembarrassmenttosaytheleast.Thedepartmentwasdoingitsbest,butcorruptionwassoengrainedinthebureaucracythatitwasnotmakingprogress.Fortunately,therewasa

changeinleadershipandwithitcameanewapproachtofindingsolutions.The

department,then,openeduptocivilsocietyorganizations.AnopeningthattheGovernmentWatch(GWatch)ofAteneodeManilaUniversitytookseriously.G

Watchwasasmallandnewprogram,then,composedof3-5staff;whiletheworkthatawaitedwasenormous.Toaddressthis,GWatchconvenedaconsortiumof

citizensorganization,composedofScouts,parentsandteachersassociation

(PTA),studentorganizations,theelectionmonitors(NAMFREL),amongothers;providedthemtraining,andequippedthemwithsimpleyetpracticaltoolsto

exactaccountabilityfromthedepartment,fromthenationaldowntothelocallevel.Theconsortiumthenengagedthedepartmentandtheresultofthis

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partnershipwastheTextbookCountproject.Citizensmonitoredthebiddingof

contracts,theproductioninwarehouses,andthedeliveryofbookstoschools.DepEdsendsinvitestoconsortiumforbidding,warehouseinspections,and

deliveryscheduleofbooks.DepEdofficialswerenowdoingthistasksside-by-sidewithcitizengroups.

Figure:BroadsheetadsofTextbookCountProject.Atthebottomoftheadsisalist

ofthedifferentcivilsocietygroupsthatbelongtotheconsortium.

Frommonitoringbooks,thepartnershipadvancedtomonitoringofconstruction

ofclassrooms.Anotherroundoftrainingwasconducted.BrigadaEskwelawaslaunched.TheresultoftheseinitiativesandthereformsinitiatedbyDepEdwereamarkeddecreaseof50%inthecostofbooksandclassrooms;shorter

productionanddeliveryofbooks,amongothers.Furthermore,aformidable,engagedandcapacitatednetworkofcitizengroupswasputinplace.DepEd,once

taggedasmostcorrupt,enjoyedoneofthehighesttrustratingsamong

governmentagencies.Therapport,trust,builtbetweencitizensandgovernmentintheprocess,theempowermentofcitizenstoholdgovernmentaccountable

couldjustbeacalledasaconsolation.

ThisconsolationistheseedofCheckMySchool(CMS),whichnowaspiresto

cover44,000schoolsnationwide,across7107islandsofthePhilippines.CheckMySchoolisnowmonitoringbooks,classrooms,chairs,studentand

teacherratio,andtoilets,amongothers.Theseinformationaremanagedbyfour

differentandseparatebureausofthedepartment.Puttingtheseinformation,whichstakeholderslookfor,togetherwasagargantuantask,aninformationand

coordinationseriesofnightmares,requiringanevermoresizableamountof

resources.

ThisiswheretheuseofICTcomesin.Usinggooglemappingandmash-uptechnologies,CMSorganizesinformationtomakeiteasilyunderstandableby

citizens.TheinformationmappedareprovidedbyDepEd;acaseofaccessto

information,facilitatedbyalongpartnershipandtrustbuilding.Theinformationisbasedonreportcollatedbytheagencyfromalltheirfieldoffices.Citizensare

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nowinvitedtoscrutinizethisinformationandprovetheirvalidity.Citizensare

encouragedtogivefeedbackandmonitoreducationservicedeliveryintheirschools.InfomediariesarealsodeployedinareaswithpooraccesstoICT.

InfomediariesserveasbridgetotheinformationandICTdivideintheruralandurbanareasofthePhilippines.Furthermore,theestablishednetworkofcitizen

groupsdownatthelocallevelcollaboratesinsolicitingfeedbackandvalidatingveracityofreportsgathers.Throughamemorandumofagreement(MOA)betweencitizengroups,ledbyCheckMySchool,andDepEd,informationismade

moreaccessibletothepublic,feedbackandcomplaintsareimmediatelybrought

totheattentionandactedonbyDepEdofficials.

CheckMySchoolisjuststartingoff.Itisfullofpromiseofimprovingfurtherbasiceducationservicedeliveryinthecountrybytappingactivecitizenshipwiththe

aideofICT.

Conclusion

AssessingtheimpactorsuccessofCMSandUCprovidesrealexampleofthefour

pillarsorenablingenvironmentforsocialaccountability.

UCreliesmostlyontheAccesstoInformationLawtogetinformationonpublicstateuniversitybudgetandspending.Withoutwhich,itwouldbeimpossibleto

mapout,compare,andanalyzeuniversitybudgets.Ontheotherhand,while

thereisnoaccesstoinformationlaw,yet,inthePhilippines,CMSwasstillabletogetaholdoftheinformationfromthedifferentbureausofDepEd.Thisisdueto

thelong-standingpartnershipbetweenDepEdandAteneoSchoolofGovernment

(ASoG),whereCMSishoused.Thispartnershipiseventinstitutionalizedthroughamemorandumofagreement(MOA).Governmentopennessandthepresenceof

reformchampionsinsidearekeytoCMS.

Havingorganizedandenabledcitizens,intheformofanetworkofcitizengroups

foreducationconvenedandcoordinatedbyGWatchforaboutadecade,isanotherbigassetofCMS.CMScanrelyontheconsortiumforlocaloperations,

suchaspopularizingthecampaign,verifyingfieldreports,etc.UCisawareofthis

needaswell.UCcontinuouslyprovidecapacitybuildingforstudentleaderswhomensureUCsactualpresenceinthedifferentuniversitiesandthe

consumptionoruseoftheinformationputoutonline.

BothCMSandUCareverykeenoncontextandculturalappropriateness.Thisis

evidentintheuseofinfographicsandinfomediaries.Governmentreportshavetobeadaptedtostakeholdersconcernsandtheircapabilitytodigestthem,in

mostinstances,byfirstwettingtheirappetite.Itisalsobynocoincidencethat

CMSischeckingbooks,classrooms,chairs,toilets,etc.orUCfocusingofbudgetandspendingofstateuniversities.Thesewereselectedafterknowingand

understandingthecontext,whatinformationaremostessentialtothestakeholders.Choosingwhichinformationtoputonlineisaresponsetothe

issuesandconcernsinthecountrysrespectiveeducationsystems.

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HowICTamplifiessocialaccountabilityisclearlyshownintheexperiencesof

CMSandUC.However,ICTtoolsarenotstand-alone.Initiativeshavetoensurethattheelementsofanenablingenvironmentarepresent.

Onlineplatformshavetobecomplementedbyofflineactivitiesorgrassroots

organizing.Withthese,risksandchallengesofhavingonlyone,i.e.organizinginbigscaleisverycostly,canbeaddressedbycomplementingitwiththeother,i.e.useofavailableICTtoolsforcommunicationandcoordination.Thewebmash-

ups,asanotherexample,helpsusorganizeandpopularizeenormous

informationwhichwouldhavebeenmissionimpossibleusingthetraditionalmethods.Verifyingvalidityofonlinereportscanalsobeaddressedifthereis

actualpresenceintheground.