1998 Projects

NETO/EDSAT focused most of its efforts in 1998 on the international scene, specifically on the hemisphere-wide project to use satellite and land-based common-infrastructure to connect educational and cultural institutions and resources.

The NETO/EDSAT ninety member International Working Group, which began in March 1997 hosted its final session in March 1998 in cooperation with the Organization of American States (OAS).

Key presenters at the OAS meeting included US Congressman, George E. Brown, Jr. (California) Ranking Member, Science Committee, Ambassador Christopher Thomas, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, Mr. Leonel Zuniga, Executive Secretary for Integral Development, OAS and Ms. Clotilde Fonseca, Executive Director, Omar Dengo Foundation, Costa Rica.

The meeting was carried live over the Caribbean Radio and widely covered in the US trade press.

On To Santiago, Chile

At the invitation of the Chilean Government, Shelly Weinstein, and Karl Savatiel, Vice President, Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications (LMGT), traveled to Santiago, Chile for the II Summit of the Americas in April. The International Working Group's Report "A Satellite-Based Education and Health-Care Network Throughout the Americas" was released in print and video at a NETO/EDSAT breakfast meeting in Santiago at the Radisson Royal Santiago Hotel. Sponsors included Lockheed Martin Foundation, PSARAS/ACSN Fund, IMPSAT, USA, Inc., BMDO/DOD and others.

NETO/EDSAT managed to put the Summary Report and Press Release printed in English and Spanish, in the hands of the entire US and international press core. We were also pleased to be invited to attend a meeting of the Ministers of Education hosted jointly by Enrique Iglesias, President, Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and James Wolfensohn, President, World Bank and other international organizations on the last day of the Summit.

The education goals put forth in the II Summit of the Americas Plan of Action for Education were encouraging. The leaders of the democracies of the hemisphere agreed to: "ensure, by the year 2010, universal access to and completion of quality primary education for 100 percent of children and access for at least 75 percent of young people to quality secondary education, and assume responsibility for providing the general population with opportunities for life-long learning."

The use of communication technologies was specifically recommended and multilateral organizations, such as IADB were also requested to provide support and assistance for distance education to include satellite technology.

The follow-up and implementation plans are critical, within the governments and the private sector, if these goals are to become reality.

Follow-Up/Next Steps

As a result, NETO/EDSAT will assist and facilitate interested Latin American and Caribbean countries to organize a "Technical Planning Team," to consist of representatives from founding countries and the private sector. The Technical Planning Team will scope out the governing, technical, educational and financial issues to establish a mechanism, such as a non-government organization (NGO), to operate and manage satellite and land-based common-infrastructure for educational and cultural institutions.

On December 10 and 11, 1998, in cooperation with the IADB External Relations Department, NETO/EDSAT held a preplanning meeting for those countries and institutions expressing an interest in serving on a Technical Planning Team. Participating country representatives and institutions included:

Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Peru, Jamaica, Canada, Colombia, George Washington University, Medgar Evers College-CUNY, Utah State University, America Education Research Association, Industry Canada, US Department of State, University of the West Indies, World Bank, Latin American Institute of Education Communication (ILCE-Mexico), University of Maryland, U.S. Information Agency (USIA) and others.

Ambassador Stuart Eizenstadt, Under Secretary for Economics, Business and Agriculture, US Department of State and Ambassador Michael Arneaud, Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago began the meeting with encouraging remarks making note of the relationship of the NETO/EDSAT project to the II Summit goals. Both speakers encouraged the participants to move forward with a regional cooperative effort.

Outcomes of the 12/10 & 12/11 Preplanning Meeting

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago announced that it will co-host the "Inaugural" meeting of the Technical Planning Team with NETO/EDSAT in March 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago.

The participants urged strong partnerships with OAS, IADB, and other international organizations. Experts explored and framed the issues for rules, governance and technical matters which most likely will need to be researched.

"Regional cooperation" for access to and use of a common-infrastructure is not easy to come-by, all agreed. However, with patience and support of the international lending institutions and the private sector, regional cooperation is viewed as a necessity in the hemisphere as a concrete effort to even out the playing field for developing and underdeveloped countries with large and small populations widely and densely dispersed.

A regional cooperative effort aggregates buying power, opens an opportunity to get out front of technology, and to make equitable use of space and technology for education and health-care resources.

Distance Education in Trinidad and Tobago

NETO/EDSAT was pleased to be invited to speak at the launch of Prime Minister Basdeo Panday's Distance Education System for Trinidad and Tobago at the beginning of December.

The Distance Education System is an ambitious and serious effort on the part of the leaders of Trinidad and Tobago. Plans are to open access to students and workers inside and outside of school with a multitude of educational opportunities.

NETO/EDSAT is looking forward to working with the Ministry to help identify resources and to coordinate and harmonize country plans to fit with a regional infrastructure.

Development and Funding

In September 1998, NETO/EDSAT was pleased to announce a sizable grant from Lockheed Martin Foundation. We look forward to their continuing financial and technical support. PSARAS/ACSN Fund also continues as a firm supporter and advocate for NETO/EDSAT.

International Economist Joins NETO/EDSAT

Dr. Fritz Ringling, international economist, and telecommunication consultant to the World Bank, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Latin American and Caribbean countries and formerly with the Gartner Group, joined NETO/EDSAT in 1998.

Dr. Ringling volunteered his services and put together a critical "Business Case" for NETO/EDSAT in the Fall of '98. Using the goals of the II Summit to reach 100 percent of the children with quality basic education and 75 percent of students in the Americas with secondary education by the year 2010, Dr. Ringling's Business Case demonstrates that the Summit goals can be achieved with a mechanism to operate and manage a common-infrastructure, maintain regard for national sovereignty and culture and become self-sustaining by the 7th to 8th year into the project.

Closing Comments

As NETO/EDSAT enters its 10th year anniversary we would like to share some thoughts and reflections on 1999 and the years ahead for realizing our mission to create a satellite-based telecommunication system for education and health-care.

The thrust toward economic globalization and open markets is creating greater and greater demands on policymakers and educators to swiftly open education and training for all. To many officials, unless otherwise checked, globalization creates a threat to national sovereignty, local culture and language. Thus the "opportunity" has never been greater over these past 10 years to bring educators and policymakers to the "table," to get out front of technology, to protect and regard natural sovereignty, language and cultural diversity, and to remove distance and wealth as barriers to educational opportunities for all societies.

However, we hasten to add that the challenges have never been greater or more starkly standing in the way of achieving our goals.

School children in the Americas will be the "first" victims of unchecked globalization as it moves "nation states" toward "market states," as some have begun to call the "privatization of government," with its huge telecommunications spending. Absent a high regard and respect for equity, with balance and priority to open affordable access and use to those who would otherwise be disenfranchised and left without information and educational opportunities, many companies in this global society are rushing toward creating huge gaps between the "information haves" and "information have nots."

National Education Telecommunications Organization/Education Satellite
Email: edsatamericas@netoedsat.org

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