The Department of Education will release soon more than P28.512 million to 198 public high schools catering to students who have special aptitude in science and technology and the arts.

 

DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said the support fund —about P144,000 for each of the 198 schools— should strengthen science and mathematics education in the country.

 

“There are students who stand out from the rest because of their strong science and technology orientation which need nurturing by the State by way of additional funding support,” he said.

 

Aside from the P144,000 per school, the DepEd will allocate P500 per student based on the average enrolment in the last two years.

 

It said the financial support can be used to buy supplies and materials for science investigatory projects and for rental and payment of equipment and laboratory tests for student researches.

 

"It can also be used to subscribe to print and non-print instructional materials, for training of science and math teachers, and repair and maintenance of lab and science equipment," it added.

 

P1.15M for regional science high schools

 

Luistro also gave instructions to release an additional P1.15 million in financial assistance to each of the 17 regional science high schools.

 

DepEd also allotted P2,000 per student in these schools based on last school year’s enrolment to further promote quality, science-oriented secondary education.

 

The DepEd will also grant the 17 regional public secondary schools offering the special program for the arts (SPA) a funding support of P500,000 each to augment their regular maintenance and other operating expenses.

 

"These schools serve as the center for arts development that opens the door for students to develop their talents and produce trainers for other schools in the region, which intend to implement the same program," the DepEd said.

 

“One of our mandates is to preserve and teach arts to subsequent generations of artistically-inclined students,” Luistro said.

 

The additional fund can be used in the students’ training and participation in DepEd-approved art festivals and competitions as well as to procure art and music supplies, costumes and instructional materials.

 

It can also be spent in teachers’ training in the arts and their participation in scholarships, professional upgrading, including enrolment in a master’s degree program. — TJD, GMA News