Efforts to increase the number of passers from Mindanao to the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) entrance examination are finally bearing fruit when the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) confers honor on a product of its mentoring program for making it to the country’s premiere science high school.
Glenn Riced G. Blanco, who graduated from the Salvador Central Elementary School in Lanao del Norte, will receive from DOST a medal, a certificate and P10,000 cash incentive from DOST for passing the PSHS entrance exam. He is the only student beneficiary of the Mindanao Opportunities for Vitalized Education and Upgrading of Science (MOVE UPS) program of the Science Education Institute (SEI) in Central Mindanao who passed the entrance examination. His school will also receive a certificate and P10,000 cash incentive.
At the opening ceremony of the 2nd Science Camp of the MOVE UPS project, SEI director Dr. Ester B. Ogena said Blanco’s entry to the PSHS-Central Mindanao Campus is a sign that the government is making progress in helping students from 60 feeder elementary schools in Mindanao to clinch a spot at PSHS. Ogena said, Blanco’s feat is an inspiration to SEI to help more students from Mindanao to grab a slot at PSHS through various mentoring and training programs.
“We look forward to the day that all of the students we are taking care of will be able to make it to PSHS. We are optimistic that that day is not far ahead,” Dr. Ogena said.
“We shall be relentless in providing the most conducive environment to our students to learn and upgrade their knowledge and skills. The entry of Glenn Riced who is a beneficiary of this project into the PSHS System is an inspiration in our work, a shot in the arm that will urge us to continue the steps we are taking in being the catalyst of change in Mindanao. We shall remain in outdoing ourselves, conquering more bases in our work and reaching out to more Filipinos who can benefit from our programs in science and technology education,” she said.
Dr. Ogena said that over the past two years, DOST-SEI has been in the forefront of increasing the capability of elementary students from the 60 Muslim-dominated schools from the divisions of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Marawi City, Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan to get into the PSHS system.
In 2008, SEI enabled the training of 120 science and 120 mathematics teachers and 60 principals from the feeder schools, improving their knowledge-base and their teaching skills to make them more effective in their craft. SEI also provided mentoring to grade six students prior to the 2008 PSHS qualifying exam.
Dr. Ogena also noted that in 2009, the first Annual Science Camp was held at the PSHS-Southern Mindanao Campus where 240 teachers and students gathered for five days of fun with science and mathematics. She said 16 science and mathematics supervisors in the eight divisions of the 60 feeder schools underwent training. SEI also distributed 4,000 copies of project manuals and parents’ handbooks and 1,000 copies of Principal’s Handbooks.
In 2009, 360 science and mathematics teachers and 57 principals from the feeder elementary schools were also trained and the schools were provided with science laboratory equipment and semi-expendable items, including microscopes, balances, and science models. She added that mentoring also commenced for the Grade 6 students who took up the 2009 PSHS Entrance Exam.
This year, SEI held the 2nd MOVE UPS Science Camp at the PSHS-Southern Mindanao Campus with the theme: “Go 4 PISAY: Moving Up Through Science, Mathematics, and Technology” on May 17-20, 2010. The Camp aimed to equip and enhance its participants with knowledge in science and mathematics; develop the values of creativity, artistic ability, and love for science and math; provide opportunities for hands-on activities during amazing race, parallel sessions and field trip; and encouraged and inspired the students to strive harder to qualify for admission to PSHS.
