BY CARLA P. GOMEZ
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson signed a memorandum of agreement with the University of St. La Salle (USLS) in Bacolod City yesterday that will enable 1,157 more teachers in Negros Occidental to avail of master’s and doctorate degree scholarships.
Project FREE or Flagships to Reach Educational Excellence – Paglaum Program is a scholarship program of the provincial government and is open to all public elementary and high school teachers in Negros Occidental who would like to avail of post-graduate studies, Lacson said.
The MOA for the Project Free Scholarship Program third batch signed yesterday will cover 1,000 funded scholars, 122 pro bono scholars sponsored by USLS and, for the first time, 35 seats for teachers from the diocesan schools of Bacolod, Kabankalan and Dumaguete, Lacson said.
Lacson, in his speech at the MOA signing rites at the St. Brother Miguel Hall at the USLS, said “Investment done for our teachers through the upgrading of their knowledge and skills is an investment for the future of our children“.
He said children, regardless of economic or social status should have the same level of good quality education.
The governor also said that the teachers’ responsibility to train globally competitive and efficient students has intensified and the challenge has been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lacson signed the MOA with Bro. Joaquin Severino Martinez – USLS president and chancellor, Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon, Dr. Marsette Sabbaluca – Negros Occidental Schools Division superintendent, Dr. Annabele Balor – vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and USLS Project Free director, and Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Magno.
Board Member Agustin Ernesto Bascon, chairman of the SP Committee on Education, and Negros Occidental Scholarship Program head, Karen Dinsay, were also present at the signing ceremony.*
