President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed into law a bill aimed at expanding the coverage of the Science and Technology (S&T) Scholarship Program and building a pool of highly qualified science and math teachers in the country.
The Chief Executive signed on August 23 Republic Act No. 10612 otherwise known as the “Fast-Tracked S&T Scholarship Act of 2013”.
The newly-signed Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill No. 3400 and House Bill No. 6860, was finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on June 6, 2013.
“This Act builds on the current Science and Technology Scholarships offered by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through its Science Education Institute (SEI), as provided for in Republic Act No. 7687, otherwise known as the “Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994,” the President said.
The law envisions a fast tracking of more science, technology, and engineering graduates by offering scholarships to deserving students in their third year of undergraduate study, based on their competitiveness and merit.
The state also offers additional incentives to attract the graduates of the scholarship program to pursue a career in teaching science, mathematics and technology in high schools, especially in their home regions.
The DOST- SEI shall be responsible for evaluation, award-giving and monitoring of scholarship grants and awardees.
The Department of Education is hereby tasked to ensure job placement and hiring of qualified graduates under this program as secondary school teachers in science, mathematics and related technology courses, and to ensure that these teachers are hired at Special Science Teacher salary grade levels, as specified in this Act. The DepEd is also tasked with the evaluation and monitoring of hired teachers under this program.
Within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act, the DOST and the DepED shall promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act.
The amount necessary to carry out the implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year’s appropriations of the SEI under the DOST.
In addition, the SEI is authorized to accept grants, contributions and/or donations from domestic and foreign sources for scholarship grants.
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette and in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. (PND)