A TOTAL of 215 grantees signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. for a scholarship grant under the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program.
The signing of the scholarship agreement was held at Business Inn in Bacolod City on May 2.
The scholars were placed in different categories such as Pagkaon Scholarship with Food Technology, District Educational Scholarship, Indigenous Peoples' Scholarship, Negros Occidental Provincial Medical and Nursing Scholarship-Medicine, Degree Completion Scholarship (DCS), Provincial Educational Assistance for Capitol Employees-Bachelor's Degree/Master's Degree/Doctorate, and Best of Negros, which is for the winners of Panaad sa Negros Festival's Lin-ay sang Negros.
Other existing scholarship categories are Educational Assistance for Indigenous Peoples Basic Education for elementary and high school IP students, Miyakonojo Scholarship Grant for Senior High School students in Japan, Maritime Scholarship (Study Now, Pay Later), Bridging Program (Mechanical to Marine Engineering), Japanese Language and Culture Training Program, Northern Territory, Australia Scholarship, and Project Free (Flagship to Reach Educational Excellence for public school teachers).
Board Member Pedro Zayco, chairman of the Committee on Education, welcomed the scholars and their parents.
Marañon in his speech congratulated the new batch of scholars. He said the Provincial Government will continue to provide equal access to education to the children of the poor and the marginalized sector, adding that it is only through education that we can lessen the gap between the rich and the poor.
Negrenses are intelligent and skillful people, we just need to properly develop and motivate them," he added.
He advised them to always pray, study hard and develop self-discipline in order to succeed.
"The opportunity is there, it's up to you if you want a brighter future," said Marañon.
Also present in the activity were Board Member Salvador Escalante Jr., and Karen Dinsay who presented a status report of the NOSP.
The incoming scholars were given certificates of scholarship while the scholars who recently graduated with Latin Honors were also given certificates, medals, and cash incentives.
At present, there are 1,373 student-graduates under the NOSP, 310 are currently enrolled and 419 are incoming students in various categories.
About 1,560 public school teachers already graduated from Project Free while 1,121 are currently enrolled for their masters and doctoral degrees at the University of St. La Salle. (PR)