DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña and DAP President and CEO Atty. Engelbert Caronan, Jr.

 

The Smarter Philippines through Data Analytics, R&D, Training and Adoption or otherwise known as SPARTA, was launched last February 24, 2020 at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati City. The main implementing agency of the said training is the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) together with other cooperating agencies namely Department of Science and Technology (DOST), DOST – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIERRD), Analytics Association of the Philippines and Coursebank.

According to DAP President and CEO Engelbert Caronan Jr., Project SPARTA aims to train and produce about 30,000 graduates on various learning pathways in the field of data science and analytics in order to address the growing need for data scientists both locally and abroad. Through the project, DAP can create an ecosystem where Filipinos gain an appreciation of how data can improve their lives, develop the necessary skills to interpret data, and access reliable data resources for policy-making and decision-making. Project SPARTA makes the study of data science, analytics, and related fields more accessible, especially to the youth by offering its courses online.

“We at DAP get to understand the dynamics of online learning. We get to have the proficiency of transforming regular courses online and more importantly, understand the best methodology to infuse technology courses in capacitating our public servants,” Caronan added.

DAP will also start constructing an Idea Generation Hub and Future’s Center and Innovation Laboratory where data scientists, academics and public servants can have an immersive experience that allows them to co-create new knowledge principally for the Filipino people.

DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña echoed the same when he mentioned that Project SPARTA will prioritize to train people from government, the academe and those from industries that involve heavy data analysis such as business process outsourcing (BPOs). This project will run until 2023 and all graduates will receive certification from DAP.

By having competent Filipino data scientists, the government sees a more robust growth in local industries and employment, more responsive policies for its constituents and more localized development through the creation of smart cities.

Those interested to be part of Project SPARTA can go to http://sparta.dap.edu.ph for program details then register at www.coursebank.ph. Anna Venturina and Adrian Marco Lacsamana