In Retrospect:

The Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994

The Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute gained strong support for its human resource development program from the country's legislators shown in the swift enactment of Republic Act No. 7687 or the S&T Scholarship Act of 1994.  The support was traced to the increasing number of outstanding scholar-graduates year after year.

Pres. Fidel V. Ramos signed the law on March 2, 1994 and the scholarship program rolled out with an annual budget of P300 million.

This scholarship program, which covers college, technician and technical levels, is open to poor but talented students whose socio-economic status are determined based on annual family gross income and other indicators.  Applicants must belong to the upper 5% of high school graduating class, natural-born Filipino citizens, in good health, have good moral character, residents of their municipalities in the last four years, and qualifiers for the S&T scholarship examination.

Scholarship privileges include tuition and other school fees inclusive of outright grant for consumables for technician awardees, book allowance, clothing allowance for MS/PE uniform for first year awardees, transportation allowance, monthly living allowance, group health and accident insurance every semester or term, and additional privileges during summer if required in the curricula.

The RA 7687 scholarship awardees should enroll at any CHED recognized programs or centers of excellence or institutions with full registration status under Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

They are required to maintain satisfactory academic performance for the entire duration of their scholarship grant.  They shall also serve the country after completion of courses on full-time basis along fields of training by rendering service to their provinces or municipalities.

The program was initially implemented in the country's 19 poorest provinces, with qualifying examinations administered to 1,608 students in 19 test centers on April 1994.  Scholarships for academic year (AY) 1994-1995 were granted to 237 students entering college, and to 108 in the technology program, for the first batch total of 345 beneficiaries.

Support for initial implementation in 1994-1995 came with two donations—P2 million from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, and P6 million from DOST grant-in-aid fund.

Meanwhile, a new law, RA 8248, “Further Strengthening the Science and Technology Program of the Government”, supplemented appropriation for RA 7687.  The new law designates prioritization for beneficiaries in 5th and 6th class municipalities.

The additional budget for RA 7687 scholars had a monthly increase of P6M for the first two years of the program, and P7M per month for the third and fourth years, which was placed at P300M per year for the next four years.  The additional amount came from PAGCOR's net income.

In 1994, initial run of the program was implemented with limited slots owing to the partial release of funds.  Full implementation of the program started in 1995 with 13,147 high school students that took scholarship examination in November 1994.

In 10 years, the program produced a total of 9,088 scholar-graduates in various areas of study.  A significant number of scholars graduated with honors: 4 scholars graduated summa cum laude, 47 magna cum laude, and 324 cum laude, while 478 scholars received academic honors.

Scholars who graduate with honors are feted in a recognition ceremony dubbed “In Touch with Excellence” held in July during the National Science and Technology Week celebration.

To effectively serve scholars, management of RA 7687 scholarship program was decentralized to DOST Regional Offices.  The decentralization also used the University Coordinator scheme by involving tertiary institutions where large number of scholars are enrolled.

Information dissemination on RA 7687 and other scholarships was enhanced with the launching of the Philippine S&T scholarship website [www.science-scholarships.ph] on July 18, 2000.  Application forms are downloadable from the website.

The S&T Learning Assistance Program (STLAP) was also developed as a year-round support program for RA 7687 scholarship program.  It aims to ensure the scholars' academic success and socio-psychological development, cope with the rigors of college life, and prepare them for their chosen S&T careers.  Strategies under this support program include counseling, career talk series, mentorship, summer practical training, occupational orientation, values clarification, and entrepreneurship skills training.

Learning resource centers have also been established in University of the Philippines Diliman, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, and other leading universities where DOST-SEI provided computers and other information and communication technology materials to help the scholars in their coursework.

But the rising numbers of graduates find it increasingly difficult for them to get jobs relevant to their education.  Employment assistance so far come in the form of DOST-SEI sponsored job fair and seminar on job hunting in Metro Manila and in the regions.  Private companies, government agencies, and other employers whose businesses involve S&T are tapped for employment of scholar-graduates.

In the last two years, about 1500 graduates participated in the S&T job fair with several scholars getting jobs they applied for.  Within the 10-year period, majority of scholar-graduates went to private firms, a number of them in government and academic sectors, and others pursued advanced studies.

Today, RA 7687 remains a stronghold in S&T human resource development.  It contributes significantly to the development of a critical mass of S&T workers, and has opened the doors to better life for poor and talented students coming from the most disadvantaged corners of the country.  It has, in a real sense, democratized the opportunity to quality education in the sciences and engineering. 

RA 7687's true value reflects an appreciation of the importance to prepare, participate, and create opportunities in what is evolving and now acknowledged as a technology-driven and fiercely competitive knowledge-based environment.  It is a truly smart piece of legislation that has created lifelong possibilities for the country's intellectual capital.