MANILA, Philippines – LUMITAW sa natuklasan ng Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) na isang porsiyento lamang ang suporta ng mga programa ng gobyerno para sa “best and brightest students” ng bansa.
Sa isang kalatas, binigyang-diin ng EDCOM 2 na ang ‘gifted at talented’ na Filipinong mag-aaral sa agham ay kasalukuyang suportado ng Philippine High School System sa ilalim ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST), at maging ng Regional and Provincial Science High Schools at Special Science Programs sa public elementary at secondary schools na pinangasiwaan ng Department of Education (DepEd).
“However, even when combined, data shows that the government supports only 1.03% out of 27,081,292 learners in the country,” ayon sa EDCOM 2.
Noong Oktubre 11, binisita ng EDCOM 2 ang iba’t ibang science high schools para i-assess ang kasalukuyang suporta ng gobyerno para sa “best and brightest students” ng bansa.
“I think we really need to think through a national strategy for developing the best and the brightest,” ang sinabi ni EDCOM 2 Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee sa isinagawang site visit at talakayan sa Quezon City Science High School (QCSHS) at Philippine Science High School (PSHS).
“Even if we need to just add one percent, or point-five percent per year, I think we need to act. It’s high time for us to begin that discussion,” dagdag na wika nito.
Ang pagbisita sa site ay sinundan ng presentasyon mula sa DepEd sa kanilang Special Science Programs in Elementary and Secondary.
Sumunod naman dito ang isang roundtable discussion sa University of the Philippines (UP) National Institute for Science and Mathematics Education.
Sa kabilang dako, dumalo sina EDCOM 2 Co-Chairpersons Sen. Win Gatchalian and Rep. Roman Romulo, UP President Angelo Jimenez, EDCOM 2 Standing Committee Members Dr. Ester Ogena, Elvin Uy, at Fr. Lawrence Llona sa talakayan. Dumalo rin ang mga pangunahing opsiyal mula sa DepEd at UP.
Naobserbahan naman ng EDCOM 2 na iba-iba ang pokus ng mga bansa sa pagsuporta sa ‘specific learner groups.’
“For instance, China and South Korea concentrate on their top three percent of students, whereas in Australia and Europe, this support can extend to the top 10%,” ayon sa EDCOM 2.
“In the Philippines, this means supporting an additional 533,502 to 2.43 million learners,” ayon pa rin dito.
Samantala, hinikayat naman ni Romulo ang DepEd na pagtuunan ng pansin ang science programs at palawigin ito sa ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan.
“[I hope we can] increase this support to five percent of students in the country,” ang sinabi nito. Kris Jose
