MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA) -- The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has officially opened the applications for its 2024 Bangsamoro Assistance for Science Education (BASE) program and BASE-Merit program.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), aims to propel deserving students toward higher education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The BASE program targets Senior High School graduates with a commitment to nurturing their academic and professional growth in STEM disciplines. The BASE-Merit program, on the other hand, seeks out students with exceptional aptitude in science and mathematics, encouraging them to pursue advanced and technical courses within the S&T domain.
According to MOST-BARMM, these scholarship programs not only serve as a means to financially support the education of qualified students but also aspire to stimulate the interest of Bangsamoro youth in science and technology and ensure a steady supply of skilled S&T professionals in the region.
To be eligible, applicants must meet certain criteria, including being natural-born Filipino citizens and residents of BARMM. Good moral character, good health, and specific academic requirements, such as an 85% general average during the first semester of Grade 12 for STEM strand students and 90% for non-STEM students, are also necessary.
Moreover, applicants should not be recipients of other scholarship programs, should not have post-secondary or undergraduate units, and must successfully pass the BASE qualifying examination.
Qualified awardees under the BASE program will receive monthly cash assistance of P8,000, while those under the BASE-Merit program will receive P20,000. In total, BASE scholars stand to receive P80,000 annually, while BASE-Merit scholars will receive P200,000 to cover various educational expenses, including school fees, book allowances, transportation costs, clothing allowances, and monthly living allowances.
The grant will be deposited into the awardee's bank accounts every last week of the month, starting from the first month of the first semester of the school year.
Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the MOST-BARMM Official Facebook page for details on priority courses, documentary requirements, and the submission process.
The deadline for submission of applications and pertinent documents is set for March 27, 2024, with the qualifying examination scheduled for April 2024. (APB/PIA-10 Lanao del Sur)
