CV schools win S&T Fair, get cash grant, science equipment

Fourteen elementary and high schools from the Central Visayas received P25,000 cash grant and science equipment from Vivant Foundation Inc. for winning first place in the Regional Science and Technology Fair held in November 2017.

Dr. Sylvio Sabino, Education Program Supervisor for Science of the Department of Education (DepEd-7), said the cash grant and equipment are very useful for their science, research and robotics program.

He also urged non-science schools to boost their program in science and join the competition.

“The grants that the schools have received will be intended for research and robotics program of the school. This would really help them to innovate the program,” Sabino said.

Shem Jose Garcia, executive director of Vivant Foundation, said that aside from sponsoring the science and tech fair, they also plan to create a scholarship program for science students starting this year.

He said the scholarship would not just focus on the grades of students, but on their interest in science.

“Sometimes, good grades only reflect on memorization. We want students who have more skills and innovation. You can’t just memorize inventions but they should be able to apply their learning,” Garcia said.

He said he could not yet disclose other details of the scholarship program, because they are still in the planning stage.

He also revealed that Vivant has spent around P300,000 for the cash grant and science equipment, which includes robotic kit, science labdisc data logger, novel biological binocular microscope, LCD projectors and magnifying lens, among others.

Meanwhile, DepEd-7 Regional Director Dr. Juliet Jeruta urged schools to sustain and maintain their science program.

She is also appealing to other stakeholders to donate science equipment to public schools.

She admitted though that it would take time for them to procure the equipment due to several restrictions in the procurement law.

“Provisions of equipment and facilities are most welcome, especially that non-government organization and private companies have no restrictions on procurement in the accounting and auditing procedures. But if government, sometimes bidding process becomes a failure,” Jeruta said.

Last week, DepEd conducted the National Science and Technology Fair in Tagaytay, wherein the City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy was declared champion in the robotics and Intelligent Machines Individuals category.

The winning schools will have the chance to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair that will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.