MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur (PIA) --The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) opens up educational assistance and other opportunities to the less privileged yet deserving Bangsamoro youth to develop and capacitate them in Science and Technology related courses.
Almansor Ong Mokamad, information officer of MOST, said during the Bangsamoro YoutHours 22nd episode, Thursday, June 2, that their Ministry offers various opportunities for the youth
MOST centered its programs on Research and Development, Science and Technology Services, Science Education Scholarships and Grants, Bangsamoro Standards Halal Testing Laboratories, and support to the DOST nationally-funded programs.
Highlighting youth opportunities, Science Education Scholarship and Grants programs were established to improve scientific and technological advancement in the BARMM region and enhance quality education through scholarship programs, provide capacity building and upgrade school laboratories in the region.
Included in the said initiative is the Bangsamoro Assistance for Science Education (BASE), a financial assistance initiative exclusively for incoming freshmen students taking science and technology-related courses. However, non-STEM related students who wish to avail the said opportunity should belong to the top five percent of the graduating class.
The students will undertake the qualifying examination. Eligible grantees will be given cash assistance worth P8,000 every month.
The office also offers the BASE Merit Program, which caters to youth with high aptitude in Science and Technology courses who are willing to pursue advanced and highly technical courses such as petroleum engineering, aeronautics, agricultural chemistry, chemical engineering, and robotics, along with others. Eligible awardees will receive P20,000 per month.
Another program is the Mujahideen Assistance of Science Education, a program in collaboration with other ministries, which aims to provide financial assistance to scholars who are children of combatants.
The program is open to any college level and does not have a qualifying examination. Grantees will receive an amount of P8,000 each month. However, in the meantime, the said initiative delimits beneficiaries due to the unavailability of funds to cater to more youth.
Mokamad encouraged the Bangsamoro youth to take scholarship opportunities, and pursue science-related fields to contribute to the prosperity of the Bangsamoro region.
“Kung nais nating magkaroon ng self-development at career development ay pasukin po natin ang mga ganitong oportunidad, para makatulong na rin tayo sa ating national development, regional development, at sustainability,” he said.
[If we want to have self-development and career development, let's take advantage of such opportunities so that we can also help in the national development, regional development, and sustainability.]'MOST is mandated to set direction and lead in the field of science, research, invention, and technology education and development. It also ensures full implementation, and effective participation in planning, programming, coordination, and implementation of scientific-technological approaches and researches. (BYC/PIA Lanao del Sur)
