AS part of its long-term commitment to support education in the Philippines, the Australian government will sponsor scholarship for 1,000 competent and competitive teachers ready for public-school employment by 2019.
Australian Ambassador Amanda Gorely witnessed the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education (DepEd) and Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) for the prioritization of graduates of the Scholarships in Teacher Education Program to Upgrade Teacher Quality (STEP UP) when hiring to fill teaching vacancies in public schools.
The ceremonial signing held at the DepEd compound was spearheaded by Education Secretary Armin A. Luistro and PBEd Chairman Ramon del Rosario Jr.
“Teachers, as we know, have crucial role in ensuring the success of the K to 12 Program. This memo will strengthen opportunities of STEP UP graduates to teach in Department of Education schools,” Gorely said.
Supported by the Australian government as part of the Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) Program, STEP UP is a scholarship campaign that seeks to attract the top 25 percent of graduating high-school students, financially challenged junior students in the partner schools, and good-performing college graduates and professionals into the teaching profession by offering them competitive scholarship packages.
“We support the K to 12 system because we believe that it will give Filipinos this foundation for active participation on labor force, increasing the prosperity of individuals and their family and delivering economic growth in the Philippines,” Gorely added.
A total of 1,000 scholarships will be awarded to deserving candidates between the years 2015 and 2019. The goal of the program is to produce 1,000 competent and competitive teachers ready for public-school employment, with an effort in improving teacher quality as a cornerstone of education reform.
Each scholar gets a package worth P140,000 annually. After passing the licensure examination for teachers, the individual must teach in a public school for at least five years.
Scholarships in STEP UP is a campaign funded by the Australian government through its BEST Program with the DepEd.
Image credits: Claudeth Mocon