ANGARA: NEW MATH & SCIENCE TEACHERS NEEDED
FOR EXTENDED CURRICULUM

During a recent public hearing of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Edgardo J. Angara underscored the need for more highly-qualified new teachers especially in Mathematics and Science as the K to 12 curriculum will be implemented throughout the country.

"We are encouraging the creation of scholarships for science and math teachers to teach in primary and secondary levels throughout the country--but of course, the heart of the matter here is financing," he explained.

According to the veteran legislator, around 10,000 new teachers are needed to cope with the additional 11th and 12 grade levels in the Enhanced Basic Education System. Many of them will be expected to have a good mastery of math and science to cope with the re-evaluated curriculum.

To aid in the funding of these targeted scholarships, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) will give P100 million each to aid in the training of new teachers in science and math for the coming academic years.

Hopefully, this P200 million allocation would be used to begin the teacher scholarship program by the start of Academic Year 2013-2014 to train them in time for the implementation of the full K to 12 curriculum.

"I am very glad that PAGCOR and the PCSO are willing to realign some of their disbursements to help finance these scholarships. Truly, we should see this as an important investment in our country's future-- these new educators would shape our youth, who would, in turn, become productive members of the community," said Angara.