Sunday, September 07, 2008 Gov't to spend P3B for science labs, IT centers
PUBLIC education is about to get more "hi-tech" once Congress approves the P1.415 trillion national budget for 2009.
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. revealed that the government will spend P3 billion for the construction and development of science laboratories and information technology (IT) centers for public elementary and high schools next year.
Of the P3 billion, P1.942 billion or roughly P2 billion will be allocated for the construction of 750 more science labs. This is almost triple than the allotted budget of P689.4 million for this year.
Each laboratory will cost P1.9 million. "The remaining P517.05 million will be allotted for 750 sets of science equipments which will cost P689,400 for each set," Andaya explained.
The balance of P1.057 billion of the P3 billion, meantime, will be spent for the creation of IT centers for public schools next year. The government is going to construct 450 IT centers and computer laboratories at the cost of P1.9 million each for a total of P855 million.
"In addition to this, P202.5 million worth of computer packages will be purchased. This will allow schools to install wireless access for each computer laboratory and give public schools students the opportunity to access the Internet through wi-fi," Andaya noted.
For 2008, the fund for the computerization program was P250 million. To date, 3,512 public high schools or 74 percent have been provided with computer laboratories for use during computer-aided instructions.
Part of the 2009 program for the IT center program is to provide Grade V and VI classes in public elementary schools with computer laboratories that are equipped with basic multimedia equipment. The government expects the "wi-fi" facilities to extend to all public elementary schools.
Teachers training and staff development will also be included in the program. "We will be earmarking P1.05 billion to train 216,676 teachers and 14,569 school supervisors so that they can develop their teaching skills on the content of basic subjects like Math, English and Science," Andaya said.
"Science teachers are also included in the P1.04 billion program to upgrade the skills of the 216,676 public mentors who will teach Math, English and Science subjects," he added.
The highest budget allocated for 2009 continues to belong to the Department of Education (DepEd). For next year, the National Government will be earmarking an additional P19.8 billion for DepEd, which will total to P167.9 billion.
The P1.057 billion IT center program and training together with the creation of P2 billion worth of science laboratories are part of the P204.9 billion allotted for the education, culture, and manpower development next year.
Aside from the P3 billion, about P7.2 will be used to fund 905,744 high school, college, science, and doctoral studies scholarship grants.
The amount, according to the budget secretary, is on top of the scholarships state universities and colleges will offer next year.
The National Government will also be setting aside P690 million for the stipend and allowances of 3,370 students enrolled in the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) System, Andaya said.
In addition to supervising PSHS and its affiliate schools, the Department of Science and Technology will also be running two other scholarship programs. (Press release)
