DOST scholars at all-time high in 2018

Almost 9,000 students qualified to avail of the scholarship program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the highest number of qualifiers so far, the government announced Sunday.

According to the DOST, a total of 8,994 students were qualified to avail of the DOST-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) scholarship, a record high since the program started in 1958.

This is also 69.60 percent higher than the 5,303 qualifiers registered in 2015, the previous record high.

Out of the total passers, 5,172 were under the scholarship for gifted students from "economically disadvantaged" families, while the remaining 3,822 passed under the DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship Program.

The scholars will be given a monthly stipend of P7,000, and will be entitled to tuition subsidy, book allowance, clothing allowance, and group accident insurance.

Those studying outside their home province will also be given one economy-class round-trip fare per year.

"A few years from now, these students will become key players in the country's development... We hope that the DOST scholarship programs can help them pursue their dreams in the [science and technology] field of their choice," DOST Secretary Fortunato De La Peña said.

Under the scholarship program, qualifiers must enroll in any campus of the University of the Philippines or any other state universities and colleges.

They may also choose to enroll in private higher institutions recognized as Centers of Excellence or Centers of Development by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Qualifiers may also enroll in institutions with S&T programs Level III accredited by the Federation of Accreditation of the Philippines.

"DOST scholarship has always been geared towards using S&T to serve the Filipino people... We hope our new qualifiers would take on that challenge as early as now," DOST-SEI Josette Biyo.

The DOST-SEI scholarship program underwent a two-year hiatus due to the implementation of the government's K to 12 program. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/LBG, GMA News