City to rate effectiveness of exam for scholars

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City’s Scholarship Program committee will review this year if the assessment exam it has given to high school students who availed of the city scholarship four years ago was effective.

The Filipino Intelligence Test (FIT) among graduating high school students was given in 2011 to determine which courses the scholars could take.

Antoniette Sieverts, College or University Affairs Head of the scholarship committee, said there were over 8,000 enrollees and scholars when the program started but only 3,000 in 2014 finished a four-year course.

The scholarship program annually provides P10,000 to every scholar enrolled in 22 accredited schools in Cebu City.

 “There was a Commission on Audit finding that many scholars nga ni-undang and wala gyod mitiwas sa eskwela. Usa sa atong natan-aw nga reason is dili sila fit sa ilang gikuha nga course,” Sieverts said.

“Ang test man gud maka-measure sa vocabulary, analogy, number, nonverbal skills, ug ability sa atong mga scholars. Walay mahagbong ani nga exam, ang ato lang gyod is mahashasan pod atong mga scholars,” Sieverts explained.

The exam, she said, also determines a student’s readiness to attend college.

“Maong mas nindot nga ma-compare nato kon pila atong graduates karon nga na-apply nato ang Filipino Intelligence Test. We are glad kay sa pagkakaron pod, naka-receive mi og report from one of our accredited schools nga naay na-summa cum laude sa atong scholars,” Sieverts said.

“Ato gyod i-awhag atong scholars nga maningkamot sa ilang pag-eskwela and dili lang sayangan ang programa nga gihatag sa government,” she added.

Sieverts said the city government is now accepting applicants for the scholarship program for the next school year.

“Wala tay limit kon pila atong dawaton nga scholars every year, as long as nga maka-take sa Filipino Intelligence Test. Usa sa ilang parents kay voter sa Cebu City ug ni-graduate sa public school,” she said.

City Councilor Alvin Dizon, chairman of the City Council’s committee on education, said the city government has appropriated P370 million for the 2015 implementation of the scholarship program. — /JMO (FREEMAN)