A more meaningful summer awaits students from 60 public elementary schools in Mindanao as they participate in the first ever Science camp under the Mindanao Opportunities for Vitalized Education for the Upgrading of Science (MOVE UPS).
At the opening ceremonies of the Science Camp held at the Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus in Tugbok District, Davao City, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Dr. Estrella F. Alabastro prodded the students from the different public elementary schools in Mindanao to acquire as much knowledge and experience as they can so that they may be able to share it to their classmates when classes start in June.
“We want our students to improve their performance and be able to have a greater chance of getting a spot in our science high schools. The MOVE UPS Science Camp is just the spark that we lit to ablaze their interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics,” she said.
Science Education Institute Director Dr. Ester B. Ogena said the MOVE UPS Science Camp will make the students experience real life situations involving science and mathematics and make them see how everything really works.
“Our students will have first-hand experience on how a certain concept in science works and show them the applications of science in our everyday lives. Through the MOVE UPS Science Camp, our students will learn that science is very ordinary, is around us and could be used to our advantage,” she said.
A total of 240 participants will be attending the MOVE UPS Science Camp with each public elementary school from the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Marawi City, Maguindanao, and Shariff Kabunsuan sending one science teacher, one mathematics teacher and two grade five pupils who are each excelling in math and science.
With the theme “At Play with Science: Making It Work for You,” the MOVE UPS Science Camp also aims to develop creativity, originality and artistic abilities of pupils and students.
Activities awaiting the students are Science Trail, Math Trail, Quiz Shows for Science and Mathematics and a Poster Making Contest.
MOVE UPS is SEI’s tack to provide a favorable learning environment in Muslim dominated schools, unique in their culture, that will encourage and help students to understand, appreciate and value the importance of science. “Through these activities, we are optimistic that we will be able to enkindle in our students the desire to venture into science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers in the future,” Ogena said.
“We want more of our students in Mindanao to qualify in the PSHS and we can do it by giving them the appropriate basic education that would prepare them in entering a science high school,” she said. An aptitude test for the students will be developed to identify potential pupils for the PSHS-CMC.
The project includes teacher and principals management training; annual science camps; laboratory equipment support; development of aptitude tests; development of parents and principals handbook, and a manual of the project; and support for library and reference materials.
Under the project, teachers undergo a teacher training program that focuses on enhancing teacher capabilities and competencies in teaching science and mathematics subjects including English.
Principals would also be undergoing training on effective and efficient administration and supervision of feeder schools in the first year of implementation to be followed by an annual one-day conference for them.
Every summer, science exhibits, quiz shows, math trails, poster-making contests and presentation of researches and mathematical investigations will be conducted to entice the students to venture into science and mathematics.
The project was sparked by the low number of students being admitted in the PSHS-CMC despite its almost 10 year existence. Ogena said the project intends to develop more relevant approaches and strategies for more effective teaching and learning, particularly in Science, Mathematics, and English subjects in the Muslim dominated feeder schools “We want our students to improve their performance in Science and Mathematics education in Muslim dominated elementary schools. We want to equip our elementary pupils with adequate educational experiences that will ensure greater chances and opportunities of being admitted to the PSHS-CMC,”,” she added. (30)
