PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines – The amount of P223,539,262 has been allocated by the Department of Education (DepEd) for selected public elementary and secondary schools in Mindanao for the purchase of approved Science and Mathematics equipment, and the conduct of appropriate teacher training for School Year (SY) 2011-2012.

This was announced recently by Education Secretary Armin A. Luistro through DepEd Order No. 89, Series of 2011, which was received here by the office of Walter O. Albos, DepEd regional director for Western Mindanao.

Luistro was quoted by Albos as explaining that the procurement of the instructional materials and devices is primarily intended to strengthen Science and Technology Education (STE) in the Southern Philippines.

Albos said Luistro specifically appropriated the amount to identified Special Science Elementary Schools (SSESs), and to low academically performing elementary and secondary schools in the country’s second biggest island region.

Luistro described low performing grade schools and high schools as those that garnered an average Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of 35 percent and below in the subjects of Science and Mathematics in the National Achievement Test (NAT) in School Year 2009-2010.

The DepEd chief stressed that schools with available and functional Science and Mathematics equipment are not included among the recipient institutions.

Albos noted that Luistro’s directive selected the most number – 51 – of recipient high schools for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) which it allotted P57,563,292 even as it shared P6,764,136 for 24 elementary schools in the same area.

The other southern Philippine regions and their respective allotments, Albos said, include Western Mindanao (Region 9) – P28,217,300 for 25 high schools and P6,764,136 for 24 elementary schools, Northern Mindanao (Region 10) – P22,573,840 for 20 high schools and P6,764.136 for 24 elementary schools, Southern Mindanao (Region 11) – P22,573,840 for 20 high schools and P5,354,941 for 19 elementary schools, Central Mindanao (Region 12) – P28,217,300 for 25 high schools and P5,354,941 for 19 elementary schools, and Caraga Region (Region 13) – P28,217,300 for 25 high schools and P5,673,102 for 18 elementary schools.

Albos said Luistro’s directive enjoined the National Science Teaching Instrumentation Center (NSTIC) to deliver simultaneously the procured Science and Mathematics equipment packages to the recipient schools to simplify the accounting and inventory of the goods.

Meanwhile, student journalists from Agusan del Norte and Butuan City dominated the top places in the individual writing competitions during the 2011 Caraga Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) staged by DepEd here recently.

DepEd Caraga Director Gloria Benigno said Agusan del Norte campus scribes topped in nine elementary and secondary level writing contests, while their Butuan counterparts were champions in seven derbies in both levels.

Benigno announced through Education Supervisor II Isidro Biol Jr. that the winning Agusan del Norte elementary journalists are Alexa Banluta who placed first in Filipino sports writing, Jonard Nemeno – in copy reading and headline writing (Filipino), Kim Dalogdog – in photojournalism (Filipino), Adrianne Sobretodo – in English editorial writing, Marie Aranguez – copyreading and headline writing in English, and Kyla Malaque – in news writing (English).