THE Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) recorded an almost three-fold increase in science scholarship program qualifiers as 70 third-year college students passed the Junior Level Science Scholarship (JLSS) examination this year compared to only 24 in the previous year.
Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-ARMM Secretary Myra Mangkabung attributed the increase of qualifiers to the region’s “Syensiya-bilidad” program.
Mangkabung said the program was aimed to develop the skills of the students who wish the take the JLSS examination.
She added that the program was designed to help the students remember and master the skills and concepts needed to pass the DOST–Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) scholarship examination.
The Syensiya-bilidad program is a two-day comprehensive review composed consisting of two parts--Intellective Speed and Intellective Power Test.
The DOST-Armm has previously administered an online review and pre-test for students in the five provinces of the region for free.
The DOST-Armm has also conducted an intensive information drive dubbed “Push 4 Science’ to raise awareness on DOST-SEI’s scholarship programs.
The JLSS covers scholarship programs of the DOST-SEI under Republic Act No. 7687, or the Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994; Republic Act No. 10612, or the Fast-Tracked S&T Scholarship Act of 2013; and the Merit Scholarship Program.
Qualifiers of these scholarship programs will avail themselves of two-to three-year S&T scholarships.
Those who qualified under R.A. 7687 and R.A. 10612 will be entitled to subsidy in tuition fee and other school fees, monthly living allowance, book allowance, among others, in the last two or three years of their undergraduate studies.
Those who qualify under the Merit Scholarship Program will receive the same benefits except for the pro-rated monthly stipend based on the scholar’s family socio-economic status.
The S&T scholars will be required to render service to the country, preferably in their home region, for a period equivalent to the number of years they enjoyed the scholarship.
The R.A. 7687 and Merit scholars are expected to work on their fields of specialization while those under R.A. 10612 will serve as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics teachers in any public, or private high school in the country.
They are allowed to teach even without the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) eligibility but they have to pass the LET within five years from the date of hiring.
Mangkabung said she is confident that they will produce more competent S&T students with the continued efforts of the DOST-ARMM to improve the skills of the students. (Bong Garcia/VoxPop Philippines)