Albay province earmarks P236-M for 34,000 college scholars

By Mar S. Arguelles

LEGAZPI CITY, May 30 -- Albay has earmarked some P236 million funds to finance the college studies of 34,000 scholars across the province despite budgetary constraints, a ranking official of the province said today.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the Albay Higher Education Scheme (AHECS) this school year would have to spend some P116 million to finance the initial 11,160 AGHECS scholars that will enter their second year in their chosen courses.

However, the AHECS Finance Committee announced that, due to budgetary constraints, they were compelled to limit their scholarship slots to only 5,000 scholars this year, which would be equivalent to another P50 million in funding requirement.

This is on top of the P50 million for 13,000 students enrolled in community colleges under Education Quality for Albayanos (EQUAL), Salceda said.

He said that with 27,000 high school graduates annually, the Provincial Education Department (PED) has decided to provide a lifeline to 5,000 new college enrolees who can not be accommodated by the AHECS.

Total assistance to college students would reach P236 million in 2011 and total assisted post-secondary/tertiary students would reach 34,000 in various degrees and year-levels.

Aside from being the only province and the only LGU that has a Provincial Education Department, Albay now has the single-largest college scholarship program in the history of the Philippines, even exceeding Cocofed, GSIS or CHED at any point in their student assistance programs, he pointed out.

Salceda said to cushion the effect of funds limitation for education, he initiated an Emergency Financial Assistance for Students in Tertiary Education of the EFAST, a new educational program with P10 million funding to give limited assistance of P2,000 for those students not included in the AHECS or EQUAL programs.

“Like AHECS, the EFAST slots are being distributed through the provincial Board Members to ensure geographical balance,” Salceda said.

EFAST vouchers can only be assigned to a tertiary institution accredited by the Provincial Education Department and is good only for the 1st semester of SY 2011-2012.

He, however, said that the provincial government will exercise best-efforts to secure funding for future assistance. The new program has essentially compelled further cutbacks in other programs.

He said during his term as Congressman of the 3rd district of Albay, his congressional scholarships beginning in 1999, have benefitted some 87,000 college or post-secondary students. (MSA/PNA Bicol)

“Text2Teach” innovations to improve standards of education in the countryside
by Marlon A. Loterte

LEGASPI, Albay, May 30 (PIA) -- A public-private partnership initiative is on the move anew with some 24 public elementary schools in Polangui, Albay to benefit from Text2Teach (T2T) program spurred to improve the quality of education in the countryside by utilizing the technology of multi-media messaging system in mobile phones.

Text2Teach will provides an electronic system of bringing educational content through video downloaded via short messaging system (SMS) from a service provider to public elementary schools, including some 400 educational audio and video materials in various fields or subjects that would complement the learning process of Grade 5 and 6 elementary pupils in public schools.

The program was launched in Polangui town, the first recipient of the program in the province of Albay, just last week aimed at improving the standard of education in the field of English, Science and Mathematics.

At the launching held on Tuesday (May 24), T2T alliance has provided each school with Nokia N86 8MP mobile phone pre-loaded with 400 educational audio and video materials on Math, Science and English, and a Globe pre-paid SIM card, and 29-inch colored television set.

The Text2Teach alliance is comprised of the Ayala Foundation, Nokia, SEAMIO Innotech, Globe Telecom, Department of Education (DepEd) and Polangui local government.

Municipal Mayor Cherille Sampal also turned over to the T2T alliance a check amounting to P951,000 representing the local government’s counterpart funds to implement T2T.

Under the program, SEAMEO will train some 120 school heads and teachers on the use of the T2T technology and educational materials to ensure the quality and standard of teaching using the program.

Public elementary schools that received the T2T packages were Agos, Apad, Balangibang, Balinad, Danao, Itaran, Kinale, La Medalla, Lanigay, Lidong, Magpanambo, Magurang, Matacon, Maynaga, Maysua, Napo, Polangui North Central School, Polangui South Central School, Ponso North, Ponso Sout, Salvacion, Santicon and Sugcad.

Marisse Catangay of the Ayala Foundation said the T2T program was conceptualized in the United States of America (USA) in 2003 and was pilot tested in the country with a very satisfactory mark.

She said, to date, more than a million elementary pupils from 358 public elementary schools and 1,700 teachers nationwide are already using the T2T, adding that the program has won several awards and garnered accolades from various institutions worldwide.

Catangay said the country was chosen as one of the pilot areas because as Philippines has been acclaimed as the texting capital of the world.

“The program has proven to be effective as students’ learning was made easy, informative and entertaining while there was a noted decrease in the rate of absenteeism and dropouts among pupils,” she said.

In a project presentation, Nokia corporate communication manager Nikka Abes said the program has evolved from the original satellite-based delivery to a full cellular platform using 3G-enabled device such as the Nokia N95 8GB 8MP equipped with an application called Nokia Education Delivery (NED). (MAL, PIA Albay)

NAPOLCOM denies report of office disruption complaint

LEGAZPI CITY, May 30 (PIA) -- The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) in Bicol yesterday denied allegations that the agency’s office transactions were disrupted following the recent mass leave of absence of half of its personnel, the agency’s spokesman said today.

The controversy stemmed after Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel who were seeking records and clearances for promotion, and lateral entry for officership complained to media that they were not able to transact business with the agency because the personnel and officer assigned to assist them went on leave.

Ricardo Fontanilla, NAPOLCOM spokesperson, said the complaint lodged by some PNP personnel was absolutely baseless and the accusation placed the office in a “bad light,” and experience would also dictate that such complaint could not come from the PNP.

Fontanilla pointed out that despite the mass leave of half of it personnel last May 17 to 20, the agency regional director assigned the remaining staff to attend to client requirements.

The complainant should have inquired and requested for assistance to the personnel assigned to replace the personnel that went on leave, the NAPOLCOM spokesman averred.

He clarified that the 23 NAPOLCOM staff were allowed to travel to Cebu City for a three day team building session from May 17 to 20, this year, in lieu of the earlier planned Gender and Development (GAD) trip.

But the training program did not push trough after receiving a directive from Local Government Secretary and NAPOLCOM Chair Jesse Robredo suspending the team building session indefinitely.

However, the personnel scheduled to attend the Personnel Administrative Enhancement Travel training decided to pursue their travel to Cebu City at their personal expenses and went on official leave to save office funds and continue to attain the office personnel enhancement objectives which was subsequently approved by Rodolfo G. Santos NAPOLCOM regional director.

The approved leave of absence of the 23 personnel was signed by the NAPOLCOM director last May 16 covering four days official leave of absence.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) cited that leaves of absence of personnel may be allowed provided it is approved by the head of office and office transaction would not be impaired.

NAPOLCOM personnel data indicate that the agency in Bicol have a total of 35 personnel. (MSA/PIA V/Albay)

Sorsogon Nat'l. High School offers open secondary school program this year
by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY , May 30 (PIA) -- Sorsogon National High School is offering the Open High School Program (OHSP) that will allow students who graduated from the elementary and who were not given the chance to proceed and finish secondary education due to some reasons or circumstances

"The new learning program is very different from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) since this will be more of a structured learning program and students will be in a modular system, home-based but is also more patterned on the basic education scheme or principles ", Dr. Blanca Rempillo, principal of the SNHS explained during the interview in the radio program, Sararo Sarabay this morning.

SNHS is inviting students who graduated from the elementary and who would like to finish their secondary level education but can not go to a regular class yet still wish to graduate by just reporting once a week and can study by bringing home structured modules that will provide them a comparative education same as that of a regular class but will be more flexible and home-based.

According to Joan Lagata, OHSP program coordinator, announced that those who would like to enroll will undergo examination and pass the test that will show that they are independent learners and are independent readers and has the capacity to study on their own.

Lagata said that in the OHSP, the student who passes the examination will be enrolled in a modular class equivalent to the regular 8 subjects offered in the basic education scheme. The student will bring home these modules, study and answer the questions and will report once a week or may schedule a meeting with teachers who are handling the subject.

A student may finish the module depending on his capacity to pass the given module. They will also be given summative test and other needed tests required as a requirement to pass aside from the 8 modules equivalent to the eight subjects offered equivalent to a year level.

According to Lagata one can finish within 6 months the first year of high school depending on the student's capacity to pass the modules and examinations given. If the student pass the 8 modules within the six months period, the student will be promoted to the next year level just like being promoted in a regular class.

The OHSP has a maximum of six years to finish and should the student needs more time.Students who are more advanced and can really prove that they are able to do the modular system of learning may finish it on a four year schedule.

"This scheme that the SNHS is offering is really part of the academe's thrust to provide everyone, specially those who needs a high school diploma to pursue college education and will be provided the chance to finish their secondary level education and go to a university and have a degree", according to Lagata.

"What is very important here is the attitude of the student enrolling to really be an independent learner. The OHSP will ensure less expense on students specially if they are having families and if they really can not attend a regular class because of other constraints, usually because of age too or other circumstance. This program of the SNHS willl give them the chance to finish their secondary education aside from the ALS ", according to Rempillo.(MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)