DOST-SEi offers scholarships to beef up PHL's workforce

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) is intensifying its effort to increase the number of science and technology talents in the country, by supporting potential students to become good scientists and engineers in the future.

The program dubbed as the Science and Technology Scholarship of SEI is DOST’s contribution in developing the country’s human resources in the science and technology sector, said SEI director Ester B. Ogena.

“Yearly, we beef up our science and technology human resource which is focused on research and development and fuel the country’s economic take off,” said Ogena.

She added that the SEI’s scholar graduates do not only become a mere part of country’s work force “but become its driving force by rising to leadership in the academe, industry and government of esteemed by the peers as creators of knowledge and technologies.”

Ogena said that talented and deserving high school graduates are provided opportunities to pursue four or five year baccalaureate degrees in priority science and technology fields.

These include agriculture; agricultural biotechnology; agricultural chemistry; agricultural engineering; applied mathematics; applied physics; biochemistry; biology; ceramics engineering; chemistry with applied computer systems; chemistry with materials science and engineering;chemical engineering; chemistry; civil engineering; computational science; computer engineering; computer science; electrical engineering; electronics and communications engineering; environmental science; fisheries; food technology; forestry; geology; geodetic engineering; geological science and engineering; industrial engineering; industrial management engineering- IT; information technology; manufacturing engineering management-biomedical engineering; manufacturing engineering management- mechatronics and robotics; materials engineering; mathematics; mathematics teaching; mechanical engineering; metallurgical engineering; mining engineering; molecular biology and biotechnology; physics; physics with applied computer system; physics with materials science and engineering; science teaching; and statistics.

She emphasized that graduates from these fields are future scientists and engineers who will take active participation and leadership roles in S&T development in the areas of research and development, production, and technology-based entrepreneurship.

“Through the past 50 years that the DOST is implementing its scholarship program, it has produced movers and shakers in the science community who are able to shape and lead the course of the Philippines’ science and technology,” she said.

The awardees will be selected on the basis of their performance in the national scholarship examination. Privileges include tuition and other school fees, monthly stipend, book allowance, PE or NSTP uniform allowance; free transportation for one economy-class round trip fare for those studying outside their home province; group health and accident insurance; and post-graduation clothing allowance.

Ogena said that even during summer, students who are required to take up subjects in this period could get monthly living allowance, tuition and other school fees and book allowance.

She said that after graduation, scholars are bound to serve in the country, not necessarily in the government, with the corresponding years they have enjoyed the scholarship.

“There is a one-to-one correspondence with the number of years they have availed of the scholarship with the number of years they would be serving in the country as stated in their scholarship contract,” she added.

Ogena said that to date, the DOST has produced more than 10,000 graduates since the enactment of RA 7687 or the Science and Technology Scholarship Program.

She said DOST has been giving scholarships to students since 1959 or a year after the National Science Development Board, the precursor of DOST, was created.

“We started with only 10 slots then. Then it grew to 150 to 270. When the law (RA 7687) was created in 1994, DOST was given the mandate to offer scholarships to a wider populace,” she said.

Building the human capacity is seen as a crucial factor in S&T innovation. The programs of SEI, together with those of the academe, form the base of a sustainable S&T innovation system adopted by the DOST.— (FREEMAN)