Ten years after R.A. 7687 and other S&T scholarships

Future demands and challenges for economic development will always rest on technological advancement and innovation.  Sustainability of technological innovations depends on adequate supply of scientific and technological workforce produced by quality education.

In the early 90's, several policy studies and recommendations on science and technology human resources revealed the need to produce a critical mass of S&T workers to attain the status of a newly industrializing country for the Philippines. 

This required the implementation of a massive scholarship program in S&T priority areas relevant to the production, research and development, and education sectors.   In 1994, Republic Act 7687, or the S&T Scholarship Act of 1994, was passed and about 3,500 scholarships for college and technology-related non-degree courses are made available each year to deserving students.

The Department of Science and Technology, through the Science Education Institute administers RA 7687 along with a long-running S&T scholarship program started in 1958.  Today, several scholarship programs in S&T are implemented by DOST-SEI to encourage talented Filipino youths to pursue lifetime careers in science, and ensure a steady supply of qualified S&T human resources to help the country achieve economic progress.

The other science scholarship programs are DOST-SEI merit scholarships, science teaching scholarships, and junior level assistance program.

The DOST-SEI merit scholarship is the longest-running scholarship program formerly known as National Science Development Board, and later National Science and Technology Authority Scholarship, which allocates 270 slots annually. 

Merit scholars pursue priority courses in basic and applied sciences at DOST-SEI identified universities.  The physics teaching scholarships are granted to qualified high school graduates who want to pursue physics teaching course, and qualified incoming sophomore and junior college physics teaching majors at the Regional Science Teaching Centers in the country.

JLAP scholarships are awarded to qualified third year college students enrolled in priority engineering courses and other basic and applied sciences.